Cat cafes have been all the rage in Japan, so it only makes sense that one of the newest coffee shops in Seattle would also be a cat cafe. Indeed, December 2015 saw the much anticipated opening of Seattle Meowtropolitan, the very first cafe where customers can enjoy a beverage while in the company of cute felines.

Located just north of downtown Seattle in the Wallingford neighborhood, this cat cafe is located close to some of its target customers: University of Washington students. The cafe itself is newly constructed with big windows letting passing pedestrians get a good glimpse of the cat cafe’s inner workings. Divided into two main spaces, the cafe portion serves coffee, tea, and pastries, and has its own lounge area. The larger part of the space has an open floor plan with seats and tables for humans, and a large structure for cats to lounge and play on. While the cafe is open to anyone during regular business hours, the cat section is limited to 50-minute time blocks to those who make reservations ahead of time. After all, it’s important to give the cats space. Reservations can be made online up to two weeks in advance for 1-hour blocks at a cost of $10 per person. All guests must be at least 8 years of age or older.

Perhaps the best part of Seattle’s first cat cafe is the fact that it doubles as a cat adoption center. If you fall in love with a kitty at Seattle Meowtropolitan, chances are high that he or she is up for adoption. This fact alone, besides being a main attraction point, could also backfire as it did at Vancouver’s cat cafe when they ran out of cats.

The concept of the cat cafe was made popular in Japan. Since then, many more cat cafes have opened around the world, particularly in North America. Today, cat cafes are available in Portland, Denver, Seattle, and soon Vancouver, British Columbia.

Seattle Meowtropolitan

Address: 1225 North 45th Street, Seattle, WA 98103

Hours: 11:00am – 3:00pm, 4:00pm-9:00pm. Closed on Mondays.

Seattle Meowtropolitan Cat Cafe Photos