A customer interacts with the “staff” at a cat café in Taipei. The café has two cats that customers can pet and play with.
The business owner is a middle-aged man, who did not consider himself to be a “cat person” until he helped rescue a stray. Unable to find a home for the cat yet feeling an obligation to take care of it, he eventually found a way around that dilemma by opening a cat café. The cozy space not only helps him to invest in the animal’s care, but also provides a service to the community.
The café is frequented by students and workers as well as their families and other patrons, who come to enjoy a snack or light meal and beverage in the company of furry creatures. The mellow setting helps to ameliorate the effects of stress and meets the need – both human and animal – for positive social interaction.
Cat cafés originated in Taiwan, where the first business opened in Taipei in 1998. The idea quickly became a phenomenon and from there, spread through Japan to Vietnam and other countries in Asia. By the 2010s, the concept was growing in popularity outside the region and proliferated in Europe and the United States.
Today, there are hundreds of cat cafés around the globe, which are an outgrowth of Taiwan’s model, including in South Africa, Australia, and Colombia. By promoting the therapeutic effect of animals in a safe and inclusive setting, these cafés appear to offer a salve that people increasingly seek to soothe the inevitable pressures of work and life in societies everywhere.