Inside Dhaka's rising cat cafe culture

And they never say a word, but their love and purrs are what we need at the hardest time. In the heart of Dhaka, there is a buzz about newly launched cafes - freshly brewed coffee, a cosy ambience, and delicious food. However, a new type of cafe has recently emerged in town, and people are pretty excited about it. Welcome to the world of cat cafes, where feline friends meet with a warm cup of coffee, lots of cuddles and a playful time together.

The architecture and the system

The uniqueness of this cafe has captured the attention of many people, whether you're a cat lover or someone who enjoys trying new things. Keeping everyone's convenience in mind, the cafe area and the cat zone are designed to be separate, making the space pet-friendly.

"I think the concept for the cat cafe is very unique and different, and overall, I had a good experience visiting the cafe, playing with the cats," said Maliha Tabassum, who is an animal lover.

Each cafe has its working process. Customers at some cafes pay a fee to enter the cat zone, where they can interact with the cats for a limited time. While in other restaurants, the zone is completely free for an unlimited time. Some suggest buying food to have a free cat zone.

"I think the cat zone was a bit cramped. What I would say is that it would have been better if the zone was bigger and more spacious," remarked Mortuza Kabir, who visited one of the cafes with his friends.

The cafe, located in Dhanmondi, charges 200 Tk per hour per person for the cat zone. Robbie and Bobbie Cat Cafe, located in Bashundhara, does not charge a fee for the cat zone. In contrast, Furryghor, situated on the Gulshan-Tejgaon link road, suggests ordering food for a visit to the cat zone.

Ambience and Interior design

The theme of this cat cafe revolves around a cat's playful behaviour and cute gestures, accompanied by adorable cat pictures and phrases. Capawcino Cat Cafe's interior has a sky blue colored theme with outdoor seating options. Furryghor, Robbie, and Bobbie Cafe have almost the same cosy colour theme with a colourful ambience. Still, Robbie Bobbie, a two-story building, boasts a beautiful view of lush greenery everywhere, complemented by aesthetic lighting. While enjoying your food outside, you can also watch the cats play through the glass cabin.

Food

They serve coffee, desserts, and snacks from various cuisines for brunch, lunch, and dinner. With high-end baristas and machines, you can have a delicious cup of coffee with a 'purrfect' companion in your lap.

They feature a variety of options, including meat and seafood platters, pasta, salads, pizza, sandwiches, burgers, and desserts such as coffee, shakes, brownies, waffles, and bread items.

"I went to a cafe once with my friends, but didn't enter the cat zone as I'm scared of cats. But I have tried their milkshake and it tastes pretty good," said Syeda Athifa Chowdhury Nabiha, a student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka.

Staff behaviour and taking care of cats

The staff work diligently to ensure the cats receive good care. They have their separate food, water bowls, and litter boxes. The kitties enjoy their favourite treats between meals while stealing pets and kisses from customers and employees.

Before entering the cat zone, customers are adequately sanitised to prevent disease contamination. The cafes always have an eye on their cats' health conditions. The cafe ensures the cats are vaccinated and neutered by local animal clinics.

Cats like to jump, climb, and sit in different areas to watch their surroundings and the outside world. Strong fences, climbers and sitting shelves with soft fabric and foam provide both warmth and cosiness.

To encourage their natural behaviours and make them feel safe, they need places to play, hide and scratch (they love scratching things with their nails). So, cafes have cat tunnels, ball toys, teaser wands, and feather wands. For scratching, jute towers and jute carpets are the best options for cats.

Adoption and foster homes

The cats that we see in the cafes are mostly rescued. People bring these rescued kittens in need of a safe home. Rescued kittens are then available for adoption at any time, free of charge.

In Capawcino cat cafe, there are more than 10 rescued cats, and Robbie Bobbie has more than 50 rescued cats! That's a massive amount of cats to play and hang out with, so don't miss the opportunity.

Furryghor tells a different story. A story of a foster home for cats and dogs. They are available to take care of your cats and dogs while you are going on a vacation or hitting the road to go out of town. A care team ensures that the animals are well cared for, providing a safe and trusted environment in which they can thrive.

Enquiries

Some customers have complained about being overcharged for the cat zone. At the same time, others are worried about the space for the cats.

If you want a break from your hustling life, then cat cafes will help relieve your stress. Additionally, it's a cosy hangout spot for you and your friends. You might fall in love with your paw friends and adopt one for yourself to boost good spirits and 'Pawsitivity'.

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