210 Prospect Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603
Cat lovers rejoice! đ± The first cat cafĂ© in Raleigh opened October 1st, 2020 and is currently booking private times to play with the cats! You can swing by Purr Cup Cat CafĂ© at any time during business hours to grab a coffee or snack and peek in at the cats, but to reserve a spot in the cat lounge you must book in advance. It’s a great way to play and interact with cats if you don’t have one at home!
What is a Cat Café?
The mission of Purr Cup CafĂ© is to be a unique and comfortable adoption center where local rescue kitties can thrive, get socialization, and find their forever homes! Plus, it’s a welcoming community space for all cat-lovers. They partner with Safe Haven For Cats, a nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter dedicated to finding homes for homeless cats. Whether you adopt or not, a visit supports rescue efforts and makes a difference in a cat’s life!
I saw a visit to the cat lounge as a great way for the kids to get some time with animals, since we don’t have a pet at home. They have been asking for a cat, but mommy and daddy aren’t quite ready for another mouth to feed! Here at the cafĂ©, the kids get to learn how to interact with a cat appropriately and safely, while mommy can test just how allergic she is to cats! đI had been thinking about taking the kids to visit an animal shelter to get their pet fix, but this was so much more comfortable for everyone.
At the end of the day, mommy got a coffee break and none of the work of owning our own pet, so I consider it a huge win!
Play in the Cat Lounge
Our time inside the cat lounge was spent interacting with the cats using their favorite toys. They loved chasing the laser light and balls, but their favorite was the bird on a string. In fact, Ellsworth got so excited we had to eventually put the toy away because he wouldn’t share!
The cats were all very gentle, but I was watching the kids like a hawk and instructing them how to pet and play safely. If a cat ran away, we didn’t follow. I also made sure that the kids didn’t get up in a cat’s face, although this took a lot of reminders with my two year old. It’s also important to move slowly and not get too loud, or you could spook the cats. We had a couple loud noises from my two year old, but overall the kids did well. This might be harder for 1-3 year olds, so keep in mind the temperament of your child.
The cats were extremely excited to play with us when we first got there, but I think we wore them out! After half an hour most of them retreated to take a cat nap. This was a great time to pull out the story and coloring books on the shelf. We read a story and colored pictures of cats while Phillipe rubbed on our legs. I think an hour was the perfect amount of time, and afterward we headed over to nearby Caraleigh park to burn off a little energy.
Snacks and Drinks at the Café
Let’s not forget the coffee and snacks! At the cafĂ© you can purchase cookies, muffins, pastries, chips, and fruit for a snack. Mom can grab coffee, espresso, and cappuccino, and all of it can go into the cat lounge with you! They just ask that you don’t share any human food with the cats, so we ate our snack before going in. I did take my cappuccino in with me, which attracted the attention of Phillipe. After a couple sniffs he left it alone, though.
Visit Purr Cup Cat Café
You can stop by anytime to enjoy the café offerings to-go, or on the patio. Parking is limited, but there are a couple spots in front, behind the building, and across the street at the car dealership. To reserve time in the cat lounge, click here. The price is currently pay-what-you-can to help support the cats, but they recommend $60 and groups are limited to 6 or less.
During normal business operations, kids are limited to visiting at certain times of the day. However, since they are currently doing private reservations due to the pandemic, kids can visit at any time with their caregiver. Learn more about their COVID-19 precautions here.
If you meet and fall in love with one of the cats, you can get more information about adopting them here.
