Lola on the Road: Brooklyn Cat Cafe (Brooklyn, NY) | Lola The Rescued Cat
Thursday, June 7, 2018

Lola on the Road: Brooklyn Cat Cafe (Brooklyn, NY)

Welcome to the second post in our series “Lola on the Road”. Throughout the summer I’ll be visiting several cat cafes and sharing my experiences with our readers. Coffee and cats; two of my favorite things! If you missed our first installment in the series, you can read about Catsbury Park Cat Cafe and Tea House here

Today I'm happy to share a great local cafe in Brooklyn, NY;  Brooklyn Cat Cafe. I had been wanting to visit this cafe for some time, but you know how it goes – life gets in the way. While I was at Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp last month I was able to chat with Lyvann, one of the volunteers, who warmly welcomed me to visit. I was a happy cat blogger! 




Many of our readers know that I’m frequently in Brooklyn because of work, and Brooklyn Cat Cafe is quite close to one of my worksites. I decided to take the walk instead of drive, and I was surprised at just how close it was.  I couldn’t believe I hadn’t visited sooner! 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Brooklyn Cat Cafe, (which opened in May 2016) is the first cat cafe in Brooklyn and one of the earliest cafes in New York. It is situated in a storefront in the beautiful Brooklyn Heights section (one of my favorite areas of the borough.) 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Passerby can take a peek at the cats lounging in the window…


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


...and the cats have plenty to look at to keep them occupied. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

The cafe is very cozy and pleasant, with several sitting areas where guests can hang out with the resident cats. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

The cafe utilizes the space very well and was able to create separate sitting areas for guests to enjoy. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


I was wondering where the litter boxes were kept and I finally realized they were right underneath the bench. What a cute idea! 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


Brooklyn Cat Cafe is New York's only non-profit cat cafe. It is staffed and run by volunteers, and is managed by the director of Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition (BBAWC). The director oversees all the business affairs, the cat care as well as the daily operations. 



The cafe started as a pop up in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and in five weeks 66 cats were adopted! Due to the incredible reaction from the community, BBAWC decided to open a cafe on a permanent basis in their current location. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

When the cafe celebrated its first anniversary last year over 250 cats had been adopted. Wow! 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Brooklyn is a very community oriented borough. With a goal of educating people that pets are a part of life and should be treated with caring and respect (which is one of our goals here at Lola The Rescued Cat), the cafe is an important part of Brooklyn Heights. In addition to increasing the awareness of resources for pet parents and rescuers by holding educational workshops and classes (more about that below), they work with local schools to provide opportunities for students to visit and help create study assignments. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

There was a steady stream of visitors when I was there. People enjoy stopping by with their children on the way home from school while others stop by before or after work. People who are unable to have cats at home for different reasons can get their fix at the cafe, and others come for stress relief. I was told one visitor said "If I didn't come here after work I would have a stroke." Another person visits on their way to work every morning. A fellow cat rescuer, who was battling breast cancer, would come to the cafe for relaxation after finishing chemotherapy down the street. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

The cats look well cared for and are very happy, and the cafe is very clean! 


The front window is a very popular place. 

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

It's purrfect for sun puddles and people watching. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

brooklyn cat cafe|cat cafe

There are lots of cozy spots for cat napping. I didn't realize at first there was a cat in the birdcage. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

And I had to look closely to see these sleeping beauties. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

When I peeked inside the cottage there was a kitty comfortably snoozing. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Cats aren't the only species you'll find at Brooklyn Cat Cafe. Meet Eleanor and Henry, red eared slider turtles. Henry lost the front of his foot in an accident with a floating perch. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

 Remy and Emile, who were rescued by Helping All Living Things (HALT), are the resident rats. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


Remy and Emile share playtime and treats with the kittens and offer them cuddles and love. 

And speaking of kittens... there is a kitten terrarium! 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

These kittens are too young to be vaccinated and have to be separated from the rest of the cats. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


Unfortunately, visitors can't play with them, but they are a treat to watch on the 24-hour kitten cam! (I recently gave the link to a few co-workers for those moments when they need a little stress relief.) 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

There are plenty of toys for cats to enjoy alone and with guests...


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

...and the cats always enjoy a treat. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Cats wearing blue collars are on special diets and should not have treats. 



cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Food is not prepared at the cafe, but visitors can buy pre-packaged people treats and drinks. There are several coffee shops in the area, so feel free to pick up a cat-uccino and bring it in while you relax with the cats. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

In addition to all of the above, there are some wonderful and fun events at the cafe. You can participate in Yoga, Stretch and Snuggle, book readings, Harry Potter Trivia, and game and movie nights. The cafe recently held a Royal Tea Pawty to celebrate Meghan and Harry's wedding, complete with tea and scones, of course. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

The upcoming TNR info class on June 5 is full! That makes my heart sing because it means more people are taking notice of the importance of TNR! More upcoming informational sessions include Tiny Kitten Skillz (where workshop leaders teach basic skills in bottle feeding, medication and socialize neo-natal kittens), Adoption and Fostering Info, and another Cat Rescue and TNR session. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


Community classes are open to patrons 10 years and older. Anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. A small donation is requested to hold your spot and to contribute towards future rescue efforts. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


Brooklyn Cat Cafe is very child-friendly, and there are strict rules in place for the safety of the cats. I was impressed at how well supervised the children were during their visit at all times. I loved how quiet it was! It makes for a very calm, relaxing environment, and makes the cats very comfortable and relaxed as well.  


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Brooklyn Cat Cafe is located at 149 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Business hours are: 

Sunday:        11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Monday:       1:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Tuesday:      CLOSED
Wednesday: 1:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Thursday:     1:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday:          1:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Saturday:     11:30 am to 7:30 pm



-
Adult only hours (ages 16 and up) are Thursday and Saturday after 5:30 pm. 

If you're planning on visiting between 1:00 and 5:00 pm it's recommended to make reservations 12 hours in advance. You can make reservations here. The cost is $6 for 30 minutes and $12 for 60 minutes. If room permits, you can extend your visiting time. 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe


I'd like to extend a big thank you to Anne, Annie, and Lyvann for their hospitality. I enjoyed learning about Brooklyn Cat Cafe, BWACC, and speaking to you about your passion for rescue and TNR. You all make the world a better place for people and cats - thank you for all you do. 

For directions or questions, call the cafe at (347) 946-2286 or email them at meow@catcafebk.com. All of the cats are available for adoption. You can read the adoption guidelines here, and see who the current resident cats are here

Donations are always welcome. Here are some ways you can support Brooklyn Cat Cafe: 

  • Make a donation to the cafe to help with the care and feeding of the rescue cats and help provide essential veterinary treatment, such as spay/neuter, vaccines, and dental work here
  • Make a donation directly to Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition here.
  • Make a purchase from their Amazon Wish List here
  • Attend an event. You can view the calendar here


I had to include this photo of the fire escape on the wall. It's very New York and I loved it! 


cat cafes|brooklyn cat cafe

Don't forget to follow Brooklyn Cat Cafe and the cats on social media. 


Twitter       |       Facebook      |       Instagram


Stay tuned for the next installment in our Cat Cafe series as Lola The Rescued Cat goes on the road. The next cafe to be featured will be Rahway Kitty Hall in Rahway, NJ. 

Have you ever been to a cat cafe? Tell us about your experiences! What do you think of this new series? 

Dawn




Would you like to comment?

  1. What a cool cat cafe!

    P.S. Check your spam folder, I think your blog thinks I'm spam.

    ReplyDelete
  2. L & L....we lovez thiz seer eez...manee thanx ta yur mom for sharin...
    therz noe cafez wear we livez sew thiz iz de next best thing { we due knead
    ta haza talk with de kitteh in de burd cage tho....did mom bye chance
    get hiz number ;) !!

    ☺☺♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great place! We hope they get lots and lots of adoptions!

    Purrs,
    The Chans

    ReplyDelete
  4. Crazy fun! And they've adopted out SO MANY CATS...that's wonderful! I'm traveling to Indianapolis in a few weeks...wonder if they have a cat cafe...it's Google Time!

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful place for a cat--so great they have had so much success helping felines find homes!

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  6. What a great cat cafe! We love seeing all the different ones and how they're set up to accommodate the cats...and humans too.

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  7. I want to go there! That looks like an amazing place. I like the treat dispenser, great idea.

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  8. What an amazing place! Can humans rent space in a cat cafe? LOL Love the kitty in the birdcage.

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  9. This is just THE most lively place, it almost rivals the cat cafe we visited in Paris. What a lovely place and when I visit NYC I am SOOOOO going to go there!!!! Do they do a T-Shirt? I want the tshirt :-)

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  10. Such a nice place and I love that bird cage!

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  11. I wonder if this is anywhere near Aunt Pauline or the place where her chemo is. I'm gonna have TW ax her.

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  12. That's a pawretty cool place!! Love that they put a different color collars on the kitties with special food needs. We hope they all get adopted soon!

    xoxo,
    Matilda (& Matt)

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  13. What a great cafe! I love that it's a nonprofit. And 66 cats in 5 weeks is amazing. How fun that they also house other species. And I love the kitten terrarium. Love this cat cafe series!

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  14. SO cool! We totally want to visit this cat cafe!

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  15. How I wish I knew this place existed the last time I was in Brooklyn! You did such a wonderful job and giving us a thorough report.

    We're so glad to be back and to be reading your blog again! Thank you for checking in on us. That means a lot to me. I just discovered today that Blogger hasn't been sending me comments awaiting moderation. They always have in the past.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed! Keep stuff like this coming. Cafe

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  17. Such a wonderful, wonderful cafe and I love how so many less young ones get their forever homes!

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