Cat Café… (Mr. Fab’s in Japan!)

As to be expected, there are a lot of different and exciting things to see and do in Japan, but by far, the most bizarre and interesting was the ‘Cat Café’. A place where you can enjoy afternoon refreshments all whist being swarmed by dozens of surly cats!

After we made our way off the street down a skinny hall and up 4 flights of stairs, we were at the entrance to what was about to be a very odd experience.

We squeezed in the tiny entry way and after closing the double door, a sliding glass window opened. With the use of drawings we were given the rules about cats of the Cat Café.

One such rule was; if the cat was wearing a yellow or red collar, we were told to stay clear and not to try to hold them or pick them up.

Never told why, we decided it best not to ask!

After paying the $10 fee for 1/2 hour with the felines, another door opened and we were guided to sinks to wash and sanitize… Now the cats were all ours!

The room was very clean and smelled like a hospital, not a trace of cat hair anywhere!

I fled to the first cat I saw, she was asleep in a basket and after checking the collar I dug my hands in.

She swatted at my face and jumped out of my arms to return to the comfort of the wicker…

Then I looked around for another victim and noticed ALL the cats were sleeping!

I tried numerous times to wake several of them but none seemed interested in playing. How was I going to stir this kitty farm up?

The shop owner produced another colorful drawing… A man holding a dish of cat food with a haze of cats swirling around his feet: for $3 more, this could be me!

It worked! The cats were wild with excitement and were all vying to become our new BFF’s.

Although I was instructed to give no more than 3 ‘nibbles’ to any one cat… I threw that rule out the window when I found my favourite!

As 30 minutes wrapped and my rationed nibblets were depleted I bid a Sayonara to my furry friends.

This was one very random experience that you’ll only find in Japan!

Mr. Fab Café