Breaking Mews: Vancouver’s first cat café is coming to town

Some of the Catfé cats will be available for adoption (Catfé ).

Vancouver cat lovers take note: The city’s very first cat café is coming to town.

The ‘breaking mews’ came July 10, when cat lover and blogger Michelle Furbacher posted the announcement on her blog.

“It’s official — the City of Vancouver has approved our permit application, and we will be starting construction and renovations in the next couple of weeks!” Furbacher wrote. “Thanks everyone for your ongoing support!”

The Catfé will open sometime in October at International Village Mall, 88 West Pender St.

To ensure food safety standards are met the café will be divided into two sections, with one side serving refreshments and the other acting as a cat lounge.

“Catfé will be part cafe, part foster home for cats, and altogether a community gathering space for cat lovers of Vancouver in need of some quality kitty time,” Furbacher writes.

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association will work with Catfé to select cats that will enjoy living in a café environment. Some of the cats will be available for adoption by the public.

It may be Vancouver’s first cat café, but the concept has grown in popularity around the world in places such as Vienna, Budapest, Madrid and Berlin. Cat cafés closer to home include Portland, San Jose, Oakland and San Diego; Montreal also has numerous cat cafés.

The very first cat café opened in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1998. The idea spread to Japan, where there are currently around 150 cafés – something that inspired Furbacher’s Catfé idea.

“The idea was inspired by the cat cafés from Japan, and I’ll be drawing on those ideas to make the space a playground wonderland for the cats,” writes Furbacher. “Think of it as a glorified cat shelter or an extension of your living room… we’re certain both cats and customers will love the space.”