This year marks the 20th anniversary for a niche industry to delight the cat person and coffee snob in all of us: the cat café. It all started in Taipei, Taiwan at the Cat Flower Garden, where the concept of snuggling kitties while sipping on a cappuccino first came to fruition. Its a new worldwide phenomenon that has made its way to America in recent years, starting out as a pop-up concept in New York City, then California and eventually blossoming into permanent cat cafés around the United States. Fortunately for the die-hard cat person, theres such a venue right in Cincinnatis own backyard Kitty Brew Café in Mason, Ohio (which happened to be named the 15th best small city in America, according to WalletHub).
Its worth the voyage to the northern burbs to experience this unorthodox pairing for yourself, but a few questions naturally come to mind: Can I just show up and start snuggling kittens on the spot? Isnt it gross to have food service mixed with animals? What happens if I fall in love with that perfect tabby, only to have my heart broken at the end of my cat-petting hour? If you resonate with any of these concerns,
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*Please note that the cats photographed in this slideshow may not reflect the cats available for adoption, as the images were taken earlier this year.
Photos by Hailey Bollinger and Kelly Coleman