The Cat Cafe

I have only great things to say about this place. It’s a way to get cats, who’d otherwise be housed in a humane society-​like setting, in a place to roam about and interact with other cats and eventually (hopefully) their new owner. I really like the owner because he cares more about the cats than anything and he’s always very good about preparing people on how to interact with the cats and monitoring the playroom accordingly. Some call it strict. I call it being thoughtful of the well-​being of cats who haven’t had it so easy.
I’ve been to the Cat Café probably close to almost 10 times. It’s a good idea to go there early in the morning to beat the crowds. It doesn’t guarantee that the cats will be up and moving, but I’ve had way more luck with seeing the kitties out and roaming during these time slots. And it minimizes any potential for the cats to get scared back in to their back room from too many people at once. I think most cat people get this, but it’s a good idea to keep your distance if one or more people are already interacting with one of the cats just so you don’t scare the cat away. It’s also nice not to bogart the cats especially since there’s a timed limit in the playroom when the crowds show up, but if you’re planning on taking that cat home… bogart to your heart’s content.

Coffee is good, muffins are greasy and a bit weird. (Maybe I got a bad one, don’t let this dampen your choice to go) I got a really good chai latte. The cats are all really sweet (but you have to make sure you interact properly with them!!!) Be calm and patient and this will be the best visit you will have.

The Cat Café is pretty cool!
I brought the kids here on a Sunday afternoon for something new to do around town. One of my kids has a cat allergy. So, we gave him some medicine before we showed up. I ordered a yummy and perfectly made white chocolate mocha. You need to make a purchase from the café in order to visit with the cats.
The actual cat part of the café was kept very clean and also had restrooms for us to use. It was also nicely decorated with little café tables and chairs for us to sit and observe from. The kids and I were nicely coached on how to behave and conduct ourselves while in the cat café, and that was cool. My kids did really good and really enjoyed playing with and observing the cats.
The concept is really great! The cats are here for adoption purposes.

2 of my favorite things! If you like coffee and cats, this is such a great place to enjoy both at the same time! The employees that I encountered at the coffee bar and inside the playpen are really nice.
The coffee isn’t GOURMET but it’s not bad at all. The cat room is pretty clean. If it’s your first time there, the employee gives you a quick run down on how or what to do with the cats. Because it’s a pretty small room, it gets a bit warm and stuffy in there but it really isn’t too bad. I got there a little before 2 and all the cats were sleeping. If you want to be around them when they’re active, apparently the best times to go are between 8am-​10am.
Purchases go towards the humane society which is really nice. So if you want quick and cheap coffee, do it for a cause! The cats are also adoptable which is great. I love coffee and I love cats. If the location wasn’t so far from me (or located in downtown, even), I would go here every time I need a coffee fix.

This place was such a great experience. I went many times to see the cats. The staff, including the owner and the volunteers in the kitty playroom, were nice and respectful. The are mindful of the fact that there are living, breathing animals in the room and they ask that you behave appropriately. I never had any problem doing this, and therefore the staff was always very nice to me. If you tried to pick up a cat, let your kid tug on a cat, etc., you deserved whatever you got – and hopefully you’ll never go back to the café again.
Also, for those complaining about having to buy a coffee or treat to get in – how else do you think these cats are getting this kind of support? The café has adopted out over a hundred cats in only a year of being open. BUY A $ 2 COFFEE. Some of that is going to make sure this place stays open and more cats go to loving homes.
Keep in mind when heading in that mornings are best. Cats get sleep/​bored/​skittish and will go hide in order to get some peace. They nap a ton. They need space. So, if it looks like you’re going to be heading in with a larger group, you might want to come back another time so you can be part of a smaller one. That way, you’ll get your chance to meet with some kitties.

I love kitties! All kind of cats! Any cats. So I needed to go and see all these cute cats at the café. I went on Thursday with a couple of friends and it was so much fun. You walk straight into the café where you’re either going to buy something to drink or eat or a pass to go in and see the cats. The money goes towards the cats and the humane society. Amazing! I wasn’t really hungry so just got fruit tea (SO GOOD! I was in love.) & a kit kat. You walk into the other room and you’re greeted by a man that gives you the rundown of the cats, how to interact with them and what not to do. They have tables and chairs but not many. We were lucky to snag one before it got too busy and people had to find somewhere to sit on the floor. The cats were all sleeping when we arrived but began to wake up when we finished eating. You have to really measure each cats temperament and kind of study them because they each have their own personalities. Two of them were so jumpy and were simply not having it that day. Others are just so sleepy but playful. If they want to hang out with you, they’ll let you know. Frida was my absolute favorite. She didn’t want to come out of the cat tree but she was purring so loud when I was petting her! When I would stop and walk away, she would poke her head out and look for me hahaha. Too cute. There’s a bucket of cat toys you can go through and use to play with them. Be careful when two cats are near each other because I witnessed a lot of hissing hahaha but they got over it. Each cat that’s there is up for adoption and there’s a little board with each cats information. Another thing, don’t come here and expect to be able to completely catch up with your friends. It’s really quiet in there with occasional small talk in low voices. Most people are completely focused on the cats. I know I was! :)

Cool concept. Buy a coffee or tea in the café, and go into the «cat room» to pet and spend some time with some adoptable cats. They’re open daily 8 am to 3 pm. We showed up at 2 pm and it was about half hour wait. There are a few little tables out front (if open) to hang out at. Kitties were pretty tired by the end of the day. Would recommend coming in the morning when it’s less crowded and more active, if you can. Downside is listening to kids whine, «mom, PLEASE can we get a cat!!!»

I love a relaxing tea/​latte and some soft kitty pats. I had hoped this would be a relaxing place to stop by on stressful days or bring my cat loving friends by, I did not expect an angry man to confront me like a gaslamp bouncer and then yell at the barista girls for not selling me coffee upon entry.
Cat café has Pitbull management.

I finally made my way to this cat café. When we stepped in, we were greeted by the owner and felt welcomed. We grabbed some espresso drinks at the café and headed into the room where all the cats were chilling in. It was a cute room, not too big. There were already a couple people inside just hanging out. It was relaxing hanging out and petting kitties. I’ve also been to the Oakland location and I gotta say that this location has way more food and beverage items. Will be coming back!
Also I saw a review complaining about how you can’t even pick up the cats here. That is standard at the other cat cafes. Cats aren’t dogs. They do not like being picked up unless they’re very familiar with you.

I was so excited that I finally got to come here! I love the whole concept that you get to enjoy a cup of coffee while also getting to be in the presence of cats who are also available for adoption. What more could you ask for?!
As for the coffee it actually wasnt as bad as I thought it would be, and it was also priced really well so i thought it was worth it. The people who were working seemed relatively friendly to me. After getting our cups of coffee, my friend and I were at the doors leading to the cat room where we were told the basic guidelines about the cats and thd cat room. We headed in and there was a decent amount of people in there but not many cats in sight. I liked the set up of the cat room with plenty of toys and towers for the cats. Most of the cats were sleeping, which is what i expected going around 1, but the cats that I did interact with were so cute and friendly.
Over all i enjoyed the cat café and ill be coming back, just earlier in the morning so the cats are more awake and ready to socialize.

I adopted a kitty from here! Yes I did. After visiting twice and seeing one cat there both times, I knew I had to have her. I adopted Moo Moo, now known as Sansa, a couple months back. Everyone involved with the process was very helpful and it didn’t take long to sign some papers and get Sansa in the carrier.
Fast forward to now, Sansa is chatty and very loving and, because she’s young, loves to chase her tail and get caught up in the curtains. I’m thankful for everything the Cat Café has done for us.

i love the concept. I stopped in after walking around San Diego for quite awhile. I got a water and went in to the cat area to meet them and catch up on my emails. upon entering 2 cats immediately came to the door. I petted them and then sat down to check my email. another cat hopped up on the table and I petted him for several minutes.
The Cat Café is a great place to find a pet or just relax with cats.

The cats were kinda mean :/
It’s a nice effort for someone who loves cats! I would say increase the prices for the coffee shop to help support your cause!

My wife Margaret and I visited this awesome café for a date day activity. We had been to the Oakland, CA cat café for another date and were excited to learn that San Diego has one too.
We were fortunate to get a good parking spot on a Saturday afternoon, one block away, as the café is located in the Gaslamp Quarter, which is a major destination for locals and tourists.
We were greeted right away and provided a cat café 101: how to interact with the cats and the expectation that we purchase a beverage and/​or snack prior to entering the cat area, which was well worth it.
Just prior to entering the cat area hangs a bulletin board featuring the cats you are about to meet, which contains the cats names, ages, temperaments and their stories. The day we were there 12 cats were on-​site. The youngest cats were about one-​year old and the oldest cats were about ten-​years old. All of the cats, which are provided by the Humane Society, were available for adoption (except one really cantankerous cat).
Once inside the cat area, which has comfortable chairs and tables to hold your purchased items and laptops.
The 101 briefing provided instructed us to not approach the cats, but to let them come to us. Many of the cats were napping or sitting quietly on pieces of furniture, a couple were playing with other patrons who were entertaining the cats with play toys, a the rest were walking around checking everyone and everything out.
I was fortunate to have Oreo jump into my lap and stay there for approx 30mins while he napped. Margaret took a photo and I posted it to the Café’s Unilocal page.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with the cats and the interactions with the friendly staff.

So, so disappointed with the Cat Café :(
Drove down all the way from the OC to visit this place since I am a bonafied cat lover and love the cat café concept. First thing you see when you walk in is the small café where you can order a variety of refreshments from coffee to tea. Almost all drinks are under $ 4 and if you don’t want to order you just have to pay the $ 5 entrance fee.
The cats are held in a relatively small space protected by two doors. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is that it’s über quiet with relaxing music playing in the background. I felt like I was in a library since everyone was silent and whispering to each other. There were about 5 – 7 cats in the area but most were sleeping or hidden/​perched away. When I tried petting one, I was met with a steely cold glare so I opted to keep all my digits in tact and didn’t dare trying to pet it. The cats don’t seem all too happy to be there and seem to only be open to the people that work there. I wonder if the cats in Japan are friendlier?
+1 stars for the effort in trying to give these felines a forever home by showcasing them in a Cat Café. Not sure if this is the best way to introduce them to people since most don’t seem very receptive to people.

Ever since my spirited feline, Jasmine, turned my girlfriend into a cat person, she has been talking about Cat Café for a while now, so we finally decided that it’s…err…meow or never. We went there right when it opened on a weekday, so there was no line and it wasn’t busy.
I was surprised when we went in because it was so incredibly small. The «café» part is really just a permanent coffee cart that provides fresh-​made coffee and typical pastries and such obtained from somewhere else. The coffee we ordered was fine, and so were the pastries. I really think this place would benefit from some hand made food items, even if it’s just sandwiches.
There’s no room to sit or really even stand around where the coffee is being made, which makes sense because people are supposed to be in the cat room. This room has two doors to help prevent cats from escaping, and it’s filled with cat towers and cat toys. I also appreciate the bean bag chairs as i like to sit down and lets cats come to me. It was fun and cathartic to mingle around with the cats and watch them do their thing, and the employees are very friendly and informative. I didn’t appreciate their policy of not holding cats though. I understand that it’s to protect people from being scratched, but I think people should be able to hold them at their own discretion.
The owner of Cat Café definitely gets my respect for partnering with the SD Humane Society to adopt these cats out. Six years ago I adopted Jasmine when she was 2 years old and we’re both happier as a result.

I am a huge fan of this place. The concept and the execution is fantastic.
What is it: They have a small coffee shop where you can order a small variety of coffee drink. With the purchase of the drink or a fee of 5 dollars you can enter what is called the cat room. This room has a collection of cats from the San Diego Humane Society who are waiting for a home.
This place thrills me. It benefits everyone. We got tasty coffee and to play with cats. The cats get socialized and time out of the shelters. They also get to meet people who might take them to their forever home. I had a chance to talk to the owner and he is extremely passionate about providing a positive experience for the customers, the employees and of course the cats. When I have a chance I will definitely go again. It was great to spend time here and know that my money went towards a great cause.

My friend from Korea was the first one to introduce me to this concept. He told me about these magical cafes where you get to play with cats while relaxing with a cup of coffee. I was instantly jealous and in dire need of animal attention since I was in college and away from home. I was so excited when I heard that they had opened a cat café in San Diego. I just had to check it out.
I’m actually not a huge fan of coffee. Instead, I ordered hot chocolate, which in my book is even better. They only had one person manning the machines so my friends and I waited a little while before we all got our drinks. As soon as we got our drinks, we were escorted to the left side of the coffee shop. There, a nice man briefed us on «cat safety» and handling. He also told us that the cats in the café are also up for adoption. (Great if you’re looking for a cat). After reviewing everything with us, he lead us through the double doors to the adorable cats. There were cats hiding in the cubbies, on the shelfs, and napping on the floor. Sadly, they stayed asleep for the remainder of our time there. Hopefully I can come back soon. This place is great. Definitely recommend.

Let’s be clear, here. I’m giving two stars for the cats and the adoption efforts going on, and nothing else.
I have a friend who knows that we live close to this café. He’s a cat person, and has been talking about coming to the Cat Café for as long as it’s been open. He didn’t have a chance before this past weekend, when he asked me to join him there.
We were lucky in that there were no crowds (there always seems to be a line on the weekends). The owner of the café was at the front door when we arrived, and he welcomed us in, and told us that the girl behind the counter would «take care of us».
I call LLPOF.
The girl was surly. She was super surly. We tried to draw her out — my friend made a comment about the fact that it wasn’t as crowded as it usually seemed — and she barely grunted in reply. We asked her how many cats were next door, and we got a blank stare in return. She didn’t engage in conversation, and she certainly didn’t make us feel welcome. She had no trouble telling us that we each had to have a drink in order to visit the cats, though.
Drinks in hand, we made our way from the ordering area (basically a small space next to the coffee bar, where they also sell things like cookies and bottled drinks), into the cat area.
Once inside, we were greeted once again by the owner, Tony, who took a minute to give us the ground rules: no picking up the cats; try not to make loud noises; etc.
We were given free reign of the space, but it was pretty clogged up with teenagers, who I’m pretty sure worked for the guy. They were in charge of the fliers posted outside, and for keeping track of the cats, and he was giving a WordPress tutorial to one other kid, so yeah — I’m fairly certain they worked there.
The cats themselves seemed comfortable in their surroundings. They were scattered all over the place — from the cat houses to the pillows to the shelves above us — and some were more willing to interact with the humans than others.
We went to the one house that had two felines and no teenagers in front of it, and started making friends with the two kitties inside. They were at first reluctant to interact with us, but gradually started purring and headbutting our hands.
It was at that point that we realized that another cat had made its way over to us, and was curling around my friend’s legs. She was the cutest little thing, and we spent a good deal of time loving up on her, until she became rattled by the sound of a bell and ran away.
We spent maybe 30 minutes total inside, playing with the cats and reclining on the floor. My friend asked about the adoption rate, and Tony answered that they had adopted out 40 since they had opened. Pretty good, and I applaud ye.
In the end, we both left kitten-​less (though I was imploring my friend to adopt the kitten that had «chosen him»). I know he was torn, but just couldn’t bring himself to adopt a cat when his current cat isn’t so social.
It’s an interesting concept, and I do applaud the work they’re doing. Not sure I’ll go back, though.

Great little place with fun kittehs to play with. While I was here the cats were very relaxed, with a kitten in the back room. The kitten was fairly new here and is still getting acquainted. There are cat doors seperating the rooms. The owners like to play with the cats and will encourage visitors to do so as well. They are also well informed on what cats are in their establishment.
My only input is that they need more items/​drinks on the menu.
If you want to adopt a cat during your visit, let the staff know.