Lola on the Road: Brooklyn Cat Cafe (Brooklyn, NY)

Welcome to the second post in our series “Lola on the Road”. Throughout the summer I’ll be visiting several cat cafes and sharing my experiences with our readers. Coffee and cats; two of my favorite things! If you missed our first installment in the series, you can read about Catsbury Park Cat Cafe and Tea House here. 

Today I'm happy to share a great local cafe in Brooklyn, NY;  Brooklyn Cat Cafe. I had been wanting to visit this cafe for some time, but you know how it goes – life gets in the way. While I was at Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp last month I was able to chat with Lyvann, one of the volunteers, who warmly welcomed me to visit. I was a happy cat blogger! 

Many of our readers know that I’m frequently in Brooklyn because of work, and Brooklyn Cat Cafe is quite close to one of my worksites. I decided to take the walk instead of drive, and I was surprised at just how close it was.  I couldn’t believe I hadn’t visited sooner! 

Brooklyn Cat Cafe, (which opened in May 2016) is the first cat cafe in Brooklyn and one of the earliest cafes in New York. It is situated in a storefront in the beautiful Brooklyn Heights section (one of my favorite areas of the borough.) 

Passerby can take a peek at the cats lounging in the window…

...and the cats have plenty to look at to keep them occupied. 

The cafe is very cozy and pleasant, with several sitting areas where guests can hang out with the resident cats. 

The cafe utilizes the space very well and was able to create separate sitting areas for guests to enjoy. 

I was wondering where the litter boxes were kept and I finally realized they were right underneath the bench. What a cute idea! 

Brooklyn Cat Cafe is New York's only non-profit cat cafe. It is staffed and run by volunteers, and is managed by the director of Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition (BBAWC). The director oversees all the business affairs, the cat care as well as the daily operations. 

The cafe started as a pop up in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and in five weeks 66 cats were adopted! Due to the incredible reaction from the community, BBAWC decided to open a cafe on a permanent basis in their current location. 

When the cafe celebrated its first anniversary last year over 250 cats had been adopted. Wow! 

Brooklyn is a very community oriented borough. With a goal of educating people that pets are a part of life and should be treated with caring and respect (which is one of our goals here at Lola The Rescued Cat), the cafe is an important part of Brooklyn Heights. In addition to increasing the awareness of resources for pet parents and rescuers by holding educational workshops and classes (more about that below), they work with local schools to provide opportunities for students to visit and help create study assignments. 

There was a steady stream of visitors when I was there. People enjoy stopping by with their children on the way home from school while others stop by before or after work. People who are unable to have cats at home for different reasons can get their fix at the cafe, and others come for stress relief. I was told one visitor said "If I didn't come here after work I would have a stroke." Another person visits on their way to work every morning. A fellow cat rescuer, who was battling breast cancer, would come to the cafe for relaxation after finishing chemotherapy down the street. 

The cats look well cared for and are very happy, and the cafe is very clean! 

The front window is a very popular place. 

It's purrfect for sun puddles and people watching. 

There are lots of cozy spots for cat napping. I didn't realize at first there was a cat in the birdcage. 

And I had to look closely to see these sleeping beauties. 

When I peeked inside the cottage there was a kitty comfortably snoozing. 

Cats aren't the only species you'll find at Brooklyn Cat Cafe. Meet Eleanor and Henry, red eared slider turtles. Henry lost the front of his foot in an accident with a floating perch. 

 Remy and Emile, who were rescued by Helping All Living Things (HALT), are the resident rats. 

Remy and Emile share playtime and treats with the kittens and offer them cuddles and love. 

And speaking of kittens... there is a kitten terrarium! 

These kittens are too young to be vaccinated and have to be separated from the rest of the cats. 

Unfortunately, visitors can't play with them, but they are a treat to watch on the 24-hour kitten cam! (I recently gave the link to a few co-workers for those moments when they need a little stress relief.) 

There are plenty of toys for cats to enjoy alone and with guests...

...and the cats always enjoy a treat. 

Cats wearing blue collars are on special diets and should not have treats. 

Food is not prepared at the cafe, but visitors can buy pre-packaged people treats and drinks. There are several coffee shops in the area, so feel free to pick up a cat-uccino and bring it in while you relax with the cats. 

In addition to all of the above, there are some wonderful and fun events at the cafe. You can participate in Yoga, Stretch and Snuggle, book readings, Harry Potter Trivia, and game and movie nights. The cafe recently held a Royal Tea Pawty to celebrate Meghan and Harry's wedding, complete with tea and scones, of course. 

The upcoming TNR info class on June 5 is full! That makes my heart sing because it means more people are taking notice of the importance of TNR! More upcoming informational sessions include Tiny Kitten Skillz (where workshop leaders teach basic skills in bottle feeding, medication and socialize neo-natal kittens), Adoption and Fostering Info, and another Cat Rescue and TNR session. 

Community classes are open to patrons 10 years and older. Anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. A small donation is requested to hold your spot and to contribute towards future rescue efforts. 

Brooklyn Cat Cafe is very child-friendly, and there are strict rules in place for the safety of the cats. I was impressed at how well supervised the children were during their visit at all times. I loved how quiet it was! It makes for a very calm, relaxing environment, and makes the cats very comfortable and relaxed as well.  

Brooklyn Cat Cafe is located at 149 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Business hours are: 

Sunday:        11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Monday:       1:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Tuesday:      CLOSED
Wednesday: 1:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Thursday:     1:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday:          1:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Saturday:     11:30 am to 7:30 pm

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Adult only hours (ages 16 and up) are Thursday and Saturday after 5:30 pm. 

If you're planning on visiting between 1:00 and 5:00 pm it's recommended to make reservations 12 hours in advance. You can make reservations here. The cost is $6 for 30 minutes and $12 for 60 minutes. If room permits, you can extend your visiting time. 

I'd like to extend a big thank you to Anne, Annie, and Lyvann for their hospitality. I enjoyed learning about Brooklyn Cat Cafe, BWACC, and speaking to you about your passion for rescue and TNR. You all make the world a better place for people and cats - thank you for all you do. 

For directions or questions, call the cafe at (347) 946-2286 or email them at meow@catcafebk.com. All of the cats are available for adoption. You can read the adoption guidelines here, and see who the current resident cats are here. 

Donations are always welcome. Here are some ways you can support Brooklyn Cat Cafe: 

• Make a donation to the cafe to help with the care and feeding of the rescue cats and help provide essential veterinary treatment, such as spay/neuter, vaccines, and dental work here. 
• Make a donation directly to Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition here.
• Make a purchase from their Amazon Wish List here. 
• Attend an event. You can view the calendar here. 

I had to include this photo of the fire escape on the wall. It's very New York and I loved it! 

Don't forget to follow Brooklyn Cat Cafe and the cats on social media. 

Twitter       |       Facebook      |       Instagram

Stay tuned for the next installment in our Cat Cafe series as Lola The Rescued Cat goes on the road. The next cafe to be featured will be Rahway Kitty Hall in Rahway, NJ. 

Have you ever been to a cat cafe? Tell us about your experiences! What do you think of this new series? 

Dawn