David Simper spends a perfect hour in Blackpool’s newest coffee shop alongside some friendly felines
My cats are long gone and I’ve never been able to replace them, so I was immediately attracted to the idea of a cat cafe, where you can take a snack and sit with cats. After long experience in hospitality, proprietors Katie Buchanan and Richard Marsh, have established Cafe Meow on Blackpool’s Birley Street, the one with the stainless steel arches. I had thought that the need to book online might put people off, but there was a full complement of people waiting to enter and join the cats.
On entering the cat cafe an atmosphere of feline peace prevails, apart from a couple of kitties who insisted on wrestling and sparring all the time I was there. The seating consisted of easy chairs and short sofas and the tables were low. Cat beds, feed bowls, play tunnels, climbing trees and toys proliferated across the room, particularly in one corner where most of the cats tended to congregate. Most of the felines were half grown and available for adoption, to the right person of course. Some had been adopted already and were awaiting transfer to their new homes.
“We had an ambition to establish a cafe, but we wanted to do something different, so it occurred to that we could combine our ambition with our love of cats,” explained Katie. “This came together and we formed or partnership with Cats in Care and Tender Paws. The cats love living in our cat cafe and we care for them like children. Of course, we hope that they will all find their forever homes in due course.”
It was clear that these cats were happy. None came rushing up and there was no kitty neediness, a tribute to the love with which they are obviously treated. I quickly realised I have lost my skill as the cat whisperer, in this context anyway.
As a cat lover who can’t have a cat, this was a well spent hour. There are meant to be strong psychological benefits from spending time with cats and I certainly felt this. Try not to get me talking about my old cats, unless you are having difficulty sleeping. Cat cafe Cafe Meow is well worth a visit. Good coffee and cake too.
Cafe Meow costs £10.95 per hour to visit. To book visit: cafemeow.co.uk
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