NEW YORK — Cat haters, read no further.
Cat lovers, rejoice. Your feline fantasy is coming true, in the form of a cat cafe. For four days starting Thursday, humans can hang out with friendly cats while eating, drinking and dangling feathery toys from fishing lines.
Purina One and the North Shore Animal League, the country’s largest no-kill shelter, teamed to create the pop-up cafe. They hope New York soon will be home to permanent cat cafes, which are catching on in cities known for tight living spaces and no-pet apartment buildings.
London got its first one, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, in March. Japan has had them for years. It also has bunny cafes for those who prefer a puffy tail to a long, swishing one. KitTea is expected to open in San Francisco this summer, becoming this country’s first full-time cat cafe.
The idea is simple: Visitors pay an hourly fee or a cover charge for the privilege of lounging with cats. Lady Dinah’s charges about $5 per person for two hours; it’s fully booked until June.