Bon Appétit & Meow! First Cat Café Opens Its Doors In Paris

First Parisian Cat Cafe Opens To Animal Lovers

It looks like Henri, le Chat Noir finally has a proper spot to grab a cup of coffee and contemplate his existence the next time he finds himself in the City of Light!



Paris's first cat cafe, Le Café des Chats, recently opened its doors in the Marais district, giving Parisians with cramped apartments the chance to experience some "purr therapy." The location is quickly proving to be a popular hangout, with hundreds of cat lovers being turned away opening weekend, and reservations already booked through November.



The café is home to twelve rescued cats, including Habby, who suffers from feline dwarfism, which gives her a stunted tail and unusually short paws.



Owner Margaux Gandelon tells Reuters that the comfort and care of the felines is foremost, and patrons must follow strict rules. The cats are not allowed to be picked up against their will (although if they happen to hop into your lap willingly, that's ok), and are also prohibited from being fed and disturbed while they are sleeping. 



According to their website, café owners have been working with animal welfare groups to develop an environment where the cats are happy. The resident kitties, which were all adopted from shelters, are not selected for their looks, but according to their nature, to ensure they enjoy the presence of other cats and humans alike. 



The concept of cat café, an establishment where customers can come and sip coffee while enjoying the company of felines, originated in Taiwan in the late 90s and quickly spread across Asia. There are now over 40 cat cafés in Japan, and the trend has recently ignited in Europe, where Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is gearing up to open in London next year.

Via Reuters, Le Café des Chats / Images: Facebook (Le Café des Chats)