Visiting a Cat Cafe for the First Time: What to Expect

If you have never been to a cat cafe, the idea can sound strange. Cats? In a restaurant? Here is exactly how a visit works at MeanKat Cafe in Durban, and how to get the most out of it.

You need to book

Cat cafes are not walk-in venues, and for good reason: the number of people in the room directly affects how relaxed the cats are. We limit how many guests are in each slot so the space stays calm.

Book a visit and pick a time. It takes a minute.

What it costs

There is a small entrance fee per person, which goes towards the cats' food and vet care. Students (on weekdays, with a card) and pensioners pay a reduced rate, and children under one year old are free. Food and drinks are ordered separately, like any cafe.

You can see current fees on the cafe page.

The rules, and why they exist

Every rule in a cat cafe exists because of something a cat would rather not experience:

• Let the cat come to you. This is the big one. Cats decide. A cat that approaches you will stay much longer than one you picked up.
• No picking cats up. Ever. Stroking a cat that has settled next to you is welcome.
• Do not wake a sleeping cat. They sleep a lot. That is not them being boring, that is them being cats.
• Inside voices. Sudden noise clears a room fast.
• No feeding them your food. They are on specific diets, and some are on medication.

How to actually get a cat to like you

Sit down. Stop trying. Put your hand out low and still, at the cat's level, and wait for them to make the approach and sniff you first. Look away rather than staring — direct eye contact reads as a challenge. A slow blink is, in cat, roughly "I mean you no harm".

The people who leave covered in cats are almost always the ones who arrived and did nothing.

The cats are real rescues

This is the part that surprises people. The cats are not decoration. They come from unsafe situations — abandoned, injured, dumped, or born to street cats — and they are fostered, treated and rehabilitated before they ever reach the cafe floor.

Some are permanent residents who have earned their retirement. Many are adoptable and waiting for someone. A few need extra patience and time, and those are usually the ones worth sitting quietly near.

You can meet them here before you arrive.

What if a cat ignores me?

Some will. That is not a failed visit. Cats in a rescue setting are rebuilding trust on their own schedule, and a cat that watches you from a shelf for an hour and never comes down is still a cat that decided you were safe enough to watch.

Can I bring children?

Yes, and they are often excellent at it — but the rules apply to everyone, and a child who cannot yet resist grabbing will have a frustrating time. Under-ones are free.

What happens if I fall in love

It happens constantly. Ask a staff member about the cat, and they will tell you honestly whether that cat suits your home — including when the answer is no. If it is a match, the adoption process starts with a conversation, not a form.

Nobody adopts a cat on the spot, and that is deliberate.