While I was in Orlando for global Pet Expo, the Orlando cat Café hosted me for a book signing. This was only my second visit to a cat café (Meow Parlour in new York City was the other one I visited,) and once again, I was pleased with how well carried out the concept was.
The idea of cat cafés has been catching on like wildfire over the last few years, and new ones seem to be popping up in cities around the country all the time. The concept is similar for most: there’s a coffee shop area where you purchase your beverages and snacks, and then you pay a separate fee to enter the actual cat café to spend time with the cats. The cats come from local rescue groups and are all available for adoption.
The Orlando cat Café works with The animal League, and they clearly know the cats in their program well. Not every cat would easily adapt to a cat café setting, so cats are thoroughly chosen and are given time to acclimate before being let out with visitors, although I viewed a new litter of kittens arrive while I was there, and they seemed to have no problems checking things out best away.
The vibe of the place was extremely peaceful. While there was an occasional hiss or swat, many of the cats were confident, kicked back and clearly pleased to be there.
I got a chance to check out the back area of the café, and loved the individual cubbies (made from red wine boxes) for the cats. I was very pleased with the lack of any kind of smell, even in the back area. everything was scrupulously clean.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention just how delicious the frothy concoction from Axum coffee that you see me holding in one of the photos was – I can’t recall what it was called, but it was a combination of coffee, milk, nutella and, of course, lots of whipped cream on top!
With Wild Cherry, the stunning tortie
For much more information about the Orlando cat Café, please visit their website.
Ingrid King
You might also like:
Meet Me at the Orlando cat Café
A visit to Meow Parlour, new York City’s first cat Café
Mews and Nips: Make This the Year to visit a cat Café Near You
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14 comments on A visit to the Orlando cat Café
Jessica says:
April 21, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Ingrid, It was so good to meet you and Jodi! We so appreciate your stop at the Orlando cat cafe for the signing. come back anytime! ~Purrs, Jessica and Sandy
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Ingrid says:
April 21, 2017 at 2:07 pm
It was great to meet you, too, Jessica – and I’d love to come back again!
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Largest cat Breed says:
April 21, 2017 at 12:33 pm
Oh my goodness! how fun! great place to have a book signing. I would love to visit this place.
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Ambika says:
April 20, 2017 at 10:35 pm
I want to visit the Chicago cat cafe. I just gotten your book on tortitude and love it. I have a tortie now. keep up the good work.
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Ingrid says:
April 21, 2017 at 5:08 am
I’m so happy you took pleasure in my book, and welcome to the fantastic world of tortitude, Ambika!
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Jackie Pasquini says:
April 20, 2017 at 7:22 am
What an amazing place for a book signing! I wouldn’t want to leave! I hope a lot much more cat Cafes start popping up!!
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Nancy Faulkner says:
April 19, 2017 at 8:15 pm
Ingrid,
Hope you sold much more copies of your books! Believe, I have them all. ought to list all yor published books so fans can see what they may not have.
As for those cat cafes, not sure if there are any in the Midwest. as for me I would love to work, and permanently relocation in a cat cafe. spend the rest of my days in a cat cafe!
The cats do look contented. who wants to be holed up in a cage all the time! sure they liked being petted, loved, and especially get a forever, happy, loving home!
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Ingrid says:
April 20, 2017 at 5:22 am
I think there are a couple of cat cafes opening in Chicago soon, Nancy.
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Donna Baumoehl says:
April 19, 2017 at 11:46 am
I have four felines and love many every critter especially dogs and dolphins. I live in Tampa and would love to visit one of these days. I regard animals as much more essential and exceptional to humans.
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Random Felines says:
April 19, 2017 at 11:04 am
what fun – we love seeing these cafes pop up and offer people the ability to see cats in a different setting. the ones we follow seem to do a great job with adoptions. and we love the red wine boxes as beds – too cute
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Georgia says:
April 19, 2017 at 10:44 am
How fun! great place to have a book signing.
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Janine says:
April 19, 2017 at 8:37 am
I would love to visit here. but I might not ever want to leave.
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Connie Fischer says:
April 19, 2017 at 8:31 am
Oh my gosh! Wild Cherry is a stunning tortie. I have a tortie and they are the most unpredictable but quiet, sweet, and loving breed. I would love to visit this Cafe. thanks for sharing. I also should get a copy of “Tortitude.”
Renull