Whether you’re a cat lover or a coffeeholic, cat cafés create the perfect opportunity to enjoy refreshing drinks with furry friends. As an added bonus, opening a cat café can help promote adoption, place more kittens in foster homes, and provide a safe, comfortable space for cats while they’re waiting to find their new home.
With cat cafés popping up in cities around the United States, there’s no better time to start your own business. With that said, to build a successful café, you’re going to need aesthetically pleasing, cat-friendly décor (and, of course, great food). Here’s how to get started.
Cat Houses
Above all else, your top priority when designing your cat café should be the cats and their well-being. While some cat cafés are regular coffee shops with cats just roaming around, others feature cardboard cat houses, cat trees, and toys for cats to hide in or play with. Your café design should provide opportunities for cats to climb up and lounge around while ensuring that the customers are comfortable.
Cat houses help keep cats occupied and provide safe spaces for cats that are easily overwhelmed by social interaction. In addition to houses, be sure to invest in some cardboard scratchers to help keep your cats’ claws maintained. Cardboard houses and scratchers aren’t just a budget-friendly option—even after your cats tear up the cardboard, they’ll still have fun playing with the remnants of their cardboard house.
Menu Board
Whether you’re planning to solely serve drinks or incorporate some vegan dishes into your menu, a menu board is an essential part of your decor. Your menu board can help showcase your offerings to guests—and it’s a great way to highlight different options, such as vegan condiments, whole foods, plant-based drinks, and more.
If you’re searching for the perfect condiment to spice up your vegan dishes, Only! Plant Based is the answer. With antioxidant-rich options ranging from sour cream to ranch dressing, you’ll be able to accommodate everyone’s dietary choices with healthy vegan options. Only! Plant-Based squeeze-bottle dressings are ideal for sandwiches, pasta, salads, and more.
Cat Cages
If you’re planning to leave the cats at the café overnight, you’ll need to invest in some high-quality cat cages. Especially with a cat population that is constantly changing, it’s a smart move to give each cat their own private space to sleep.
Although some cats are naturally sociable and open up to new cats immediately, most cats enjoy the solitary life and have no problems expressing their dissatisfaction toward newcomers. Cats are highly territorial, and it’s not uncommon for cats to hiss or claw at each other during initial meetings. As a result, if you leave multiple cats alone in an open space overnight without properly introducing them, cats with different temperaments might get into fights, leading to potential injuries.
At the end of the day, placing new kittens in a spacious cage at night can help keep them safe while other cats sleep. With that said, it’s important to take steps to make their cage as comfortable as possible. Every cage should feel like a cozy, high-security cat condo instead of a prison cell.
Cat-friendly Furniture
If you have a furry friend at home, you’re probably already aware that cats love to claw and scratch at furniture. Although leather might seem like a tempting option, it’s important to keep in mind that leather still shows tiny holes when punctured—and these holes will eventually devolve into larger holes and tears.
For long-lasting furniture, choose couches, chairs, and tables with metal frames. The best stain-resistant fabrics include upholstery and microfiber fabrics with nylon threads, which create a lightweight and water-resistant material. Plus, the density of microfiber allows it to stand up to a cat’s claws while making it less appealing to scratch on.
Whether you’re preparing to open your doors or looking to refresh your current café décor, simple upgrades can transform your café into a cozy, comfortable space for your cats and customers.