Are Cat Cafés Ethical?

You may have seen cat cafés popping up in your city. These places usually charge a fee for visitors to have food and drinks before, during, or after interacting with the cats roaming around the café. But are cat cafés ethical?

The answer is: It depends. There’s nothing inherently unethical about a cat café like there is for capybaras, otters, or other “wild” animal cafés. But there are some things to look out for to avoid exploitation.

What Are Cat Cafés?

Cat cafés originated in Taiwan in 1998 and exist worldwide today. Some function as adoption centers that work with local rescue organizations and shelters, while others keep cats as permanent “residents” of the café. Depending on the café, food or drinks may be available for purchase. The exact purpose of each cat café largely depends on the individuals running it.

Why Cat Cafés?

Many folks enjoy spending time with cats. It’s easy to see why: Cats have unique personalities, from goofy to cuddly and everything in between. They enjoy climbing, scratching, hiding, hunting (even if it’s just with their toys), and choosing when—and with whom—to interact. The cat café was born out of people who understandably want to spend quality time with feline friends, sometimes with a snack or beverage on the side.

When Are Cat Cafés Ethical?

Cat cafés are ethical when cats’ safety and well-being are priorities. The cats are spayed or neutered, and attentive workers ensure they get everything they need for their physical and mental health, including regular vet visits, plenty of toys, and comfort.

What Makes for an Unethical Cat Café?

Cat cafés can be unethical for a variety of reasons:

• Some cat cafés breed cats or get cats from breeders, contributing to the homeless animal crisis. Look for smushed faces (breathing-impaired breeds), short legs, and folded ears. It’s a bad sign if all the cats look identical.
• Not all cats like being in a potentially noisy café surrounded by strangers. If cats cannot access quiet hiding spots and vertical areas to retreat and observe safely, the café is not considering the cats’ needs and should be avoided.
• If a cat café promotes any “no kill” rhetoric, that’s a red flag.
• Make sure the café has impeccably clean, safe environments.
• Ethical cat cafés will have rules for visitors, like no picking up cats, quiet voices, and no flash photography. No rules is another red flag.

Ways to Help Cats

Cats and all other animals are individuals, not coffee shop decorations. If you’d like to spend some time with cats, do your homework to ensure you’re not supporting exploitation.

There are many ways to care for cats and enjoy their company.

• Adopt, never shop! If you can care for a feline friend for life emotionally and financially, adopt one (or two!) from a reputable shelter or rescue organization.
• Volunteer at your local shelter. Shelters are bursting at the seams, and many desperately need volunteers to help care for the animals. Responsibilities may include cleaning, feeding, and playing with the cats.
• Respect cats’ boundaries. Whether at home, at a friend’s house, or volunteering in a shelter, always allow cats to come to you on their own terms.
• Spay and neuter all animal companions. Sterilizing animals helps them live healthier lives and prevents the introduction of more animals into a world that doesn’t have enough responsible homes for existing animals.
• Never allow cats outdoors unsupervised. If you are a cat guardian, always keep your cats indoors or in a safe, supervised outdoor area such as a catio or with a well-fitted harness and leash. Letting a cat outside unsupervised is one of the most dangerous things a guardian can do, and it can lead to the cat getting hit by cars, fighting with other animals, and being exposed to parasites and painful diseases.

You can take many other purrfect actions to help cats (and animals everywhere).

Send Me a Vegan Starter Kit

© iStock.com/anopdesignstock

Order Your FREE Vegan Starter Kit

Send Me a Vegan Starter Kit