Cat Cafes in California: Part Two

Southern California is known for many things – sunny weather, ocean, Disneyland, and Hollywood to name a few. There are drawbacks such as earthquakes, traffic and a high cost of living among them, but it seems that they are not enough to reduce the attractiveness.

So Cal is also home to several well-known cat cafés, and since they all feature rescue cats available for adoption, they are all attractions and flawless.

I had known about Crumbs and Whiskers for a long time and was curious. They are very active on social media and pictures of cats and space always look cool and luxurious. I can’t help but wonder if the photo will ever measure up in real life.

The only visitor booked on a Friday afternoon, I was secretly pleased to discover that I would have the entire cafe and all the cats to myself. Opened in 2017, this is the California outpost of the original Crumbs & Whiskers founded in Washington, D.C. in 2015.

Things started on a high note the moment I walked in the door. Braun, a long haired silver coffin, gave me petting privileges while I checked in with the friendly host.

Since I had a thing for shaggy tabbies, I fell in love right away.

Sadly, it was Brown’s time to go back to the back room to rest, but as I stared into the room, there were so many adorable cats, and it was hard to believe that these were rescues. However, there were nearly 25 stunning beauties worth squealing at every turn.

One part gorgeous sitting room and one part love nest, the interior design is modern, yet rich and inviting. The dark walls and concrete floors (hard surfaces are essential to keeping things neat and tidy, as they are!) are cleverly offset by faux white rugs with gray and gray pillows. The whole scene is delightfully decadent and asks you to come down and cuddle with the kitties – and that’s pretty much the point – putting yourself on the cat level is the best way to cultivate interaction.

I did just that, laying there with my kitty bedroom eyes staring at me at every turn, feeling a bit seductive, almost like a harem cat of some sort, yet so sweet and innocent all at once.

Ten minutes later, I was in a mist of infatuation wondering about sweet things and a meaningless kid talked to the cats that surrounded me.

Eventually, I woke myself up to take pictures, and by this time two additional patrons had entered the lounge for a spontaneous visit – a couple of friends who sat in the front window while enjoying a cat adoration (cat sermon?). I found myself hanging out with them, exchanging smiles and laughs as the cats stretched their stomachs to scratch.

Seeing as I forced one of the rotten gingers into a belly rub, I couldn’t help but wonder if the genie was about to appear and make three wishes for me.

Even the staff were lovely as can be. During my visit he was really welcoming, friendly and happy to answer all my questions.

Throw in a great cup of coffee and it’s clear that the cool folks at Crumbs & Whiskers know what they’re doing. It qualifies as one of the best visits I’ve had in 2018 and I heartily recommend putting it near the top of my list of must-visit cat cafes.

The CatCafe Lounge had been open for three months when I visited, but instead of working through the usual new business bumps in the road, things were going just fine.

As of mid-May, 40 cats have found forever homes (79 as of November) – a massive feat in such a short period.

I arrived a little early for an 11am appointment on a Saturday, so I browsed around the lobby area admiring the new construction. The design is stunning – simple and strict, yet eye-catching all at once. It’s also very “cat” with plenty of napping spots and cat toys, but the star of the house is a large wooden cat tree (similar to one the owner saw in Japan) with plenty of perches for cats to get up and away from when people need a break.

There were 33 cats at the residence the day I visited which is quite a few, but the space is great and the socialization process is well established which helped keep any alpha (territorial) issues at bay.

I usually like a cat or two when I visit a cat cafe, but I was especially fond of Oscar the arrogant, a lovable spice who turned out to be very attractive when he stopped running for a couple of seconds allowing me to take a picture!

I was also fortunate to have been introduced to the tortie shy Kimmy, cutie Melody and the raven-haired Cleo.

In between love kitty, I enjoyed a cup of tea while chatting with the friendly staff and getting low on information in the CatCafe Lounge. The CatCafe Lounge, a 501c3 nonprofit, aims to reduce euthanasia rates by socializing cats and increasing adoptions.

The socialization of cats previously thought to be feral or ‘unacceptable’ has become a real turning point in the no-kill movement. Conventional shelters (still very important in the general animal welfare system) can be stressful for certain cats and can cause them to be neglected or needlessly euthanized.

CatCafe works with files Stray Cat Alliance and the The Spay Neuter project in Los Angeles As shelter partners, they are both advocates for the creation of a no-kill nation and promoters of rescue, adoption & #TNR…all topics near and dear to this cat lover’s heart!!!

The wonderful people at CatCafe Lounge have created a wonderful space for humans and cats alike. But when you factor in their important mission and high caliber shelter partners, the blaster effect is astounding – meaning when you visit the CatCafe Lounge, rest assured that your donation will make a real difference in your cat’s life.

Getting your kittens fixed and helping the cats in California? What could be better?

The Cat Cafe is located in downtown San Diego, which makes it easy to get your cat fix.

Near Petco Park (home to the Padres) and the San Diego Convention Center, they’re in the hotspot of tourists which explains why they get so busy even on a weekday morning. In general, we try to time our visits during slow business hours, which allows for better photos of the cats and interviews with staff, but the house was full when we got to our appointment at 10am.

Despite the crowds, the staff was cheerful and welcoming. After placing my coffee order, which is included with admission, we sat outside and waited with the rest of our group on the sunny patio, enjoying the perfect San Diego weather.

Things are well organized in that they allow reservations in advance, but they also have a certain number of slots for walking, which is a nice compromise for those who want to secure their place and those who prefer more spontaneity.

As the 9am group left, our meeting was escorted and greeted by our kind cat caretaker, Julien. I’m not a big fan of this “everyone out, now everybody in the hulk” thing as I found it not always easy to experience relaxation. It’s a tough situation that you don’t want to turn people away from (it makes them sad and angry at times!) and The Cat Cafe does a great job of giving everyone a chance to visit the kitties. I get it!

Speaking of cats, there were 12 days we visited, acquired through a partnership with The Rescue House. Jolene referred to the kitties in the dorm, including my favorite Fiji, the cross-eyed cutie, the adorable Tallulah torte and the mischievous Charlie, who was given the nickname “Kitty Mustache” after watching him pass his hands near his pet.

As of March 2018, there have been 279 adoptions since they opened in 2015, which is an impressive feat considering they have a significant amount of tourism traffic, but there is clearly also a supportive local unit. Congratulations to all!

With so many kids in the room, I pulled back a bit so the little ones had better access to the cats, but I was able to fully enjoy my hour observing the kitties, sipping coffee and chatting with Jolene.

Overall, The Cat Cafe offers a high quality experience with friendly staff and great coffee service that balances out the rushed feel.

The Neighbor’s Cat is the alter-ego of Paula Lapin, a wandering cat lover who writes about cat cafes, rescue/adoption, and TNR, and has been featured in Miau Magazine, Katzenworld Blog, The Catnip Times, and Taiwan Scene. She is currently striving to visit every cat cafe in the world, 200 in 29 countries so far! search for it in neighborscat.com or on Facebook/Twitter catcafeviews.