We have been coming to the Cat Café since it first opened.
The rules on what age of children can attend have changed and we all agreed it is better this way. Some younger children in the past who had not been around cats didnt know what to do and needed more adult supervision, so its a better system now.
I came with my now teenagers aged 14 & 15. I wanted to write this as I read some other comments on the cafe which I didnt think were fair!
I have always had pedigree cats, all rescue- but Siamese & oriental shorthair, English shorthair, our family have ragdolls, and have had Bengal's. friends have Norwegian forest cats and sphinx's. Our cats over the years have surprised people by thier good natures and loving being stroked and dog like behavior's. If the cats don't want to be stroked they will let you know, as the cats get older they want to sleep more. These cats live in a café, so can sleep through most things.
We have loved cats over the years and sad some are retired now, but that's good we think, that they get to go back to owners house at a certain age? Miss the Norwegian forest cats though.
The £10 an hour is explained so its not an unexpected cost? It really is what it says, and you don't have to do anything else other than go? In my experience pedigree cats are more friendly but also more prone to illness and need more attention, my cats were admittedly more vocal than these, but loved being around people all the time.
My kids this time sat and stroked the rag dolls and watched the Bengal's creep up on them and pounce. They were lively and very playful this time and that depends on the time of day you go- we went 1pm-2pm just before they close for an hour. But my kids equally happy with sleeping cats. In the early years the cats were younger and more happy to play and pounce but today on our visit the only cats sleeping all the time were Guillaume and Elodie (but our friends sphinx sleeps all day too) the rest were walking around and playing.
We have never had pressure to buy things in café and often have tap water- but this time had cake and hot chocolates. Which are no more expensive than any other nearby café. Today as a treat both had hot chocolate, and loved it.
There used to be donation box to the Lothian cat rescue on the desk. But we feel in defence the café never claims to be a cat rescue place. The cats are treated well here, thats important to us.
We find the staff friendly. They answer questions and try to be helpful, I'm glad they are there more for the cats but never found them anything other than friendly to the people too.
I am now quite ill and although my 2 really want a cat at home, I cannot agree at the moment,so we come here for therapy. And £30 an hour for therapy that we all love is well worth it.
We will be back.