Neko Ja La La the Cat Cafe!

So I've been talking for ages about going to a cat cafe - they're almost entirely exclusive to Japan. What is a cat cafe, you ask? Pretty self-explanatory, to be honest: it's a cafe full of cats. You pay to sit and drink tea and pet the (very clean and well-cared for) cats.

These cafes became popular because many people who live in Tokyo can't have pets because their apartments are too small, or don't allow pets whatsoever - these cafes provide the temporary illusion of having a cat, which (for an animal lover) is really fun.

Obviously, I had a blast - the only thing that could top a cat cafe for me would be a golden retriever puppy cafe, but I don't think they get that specific. The cafe is in Akihabara, but it's tucked away pretty well - I must've wandered around for a solid half hour before I finally found it (through sheer luck).

From the second you walk in, there are cats everywhere. It's not like they bum rush you or anything, but pretty much everywhere you turn or step there's a kitty, just chilling. You take off your shoes at the entrance, wash your hands, and then you get your tea and hang out with the cats. They even give you a booklet to identify which cat is which because there are so many.

I tried to take some good pictures when the cats weren't moving about, which was kinda hard to do in some cases...


















But then again, some were easier than others.

This one kept on trying to stick her head into my teacup - she was quite the spaz.

This is Taki, a Ragdoll kitty - she was hands-down my favorite cat, since she was really calm and super soft. You can't tell from the photo, but she has really blue eyes - she's a beautiful cat!

This is Coco, a Maine Coon - he has to be the biggest cat I have EVER seen! Seriously, this guy is huge.

I mean, really, look at the size of that paw. That's a mega-paw right there.

He's a total sweetheart, though - he let me rub his tummy for some time, purring like a truck all the while.

I think this Maine Coon was the runner-up in terms of size. They make their kitties big here, for some strange reason - but they make their dogs microscopic! The Japanese are an odd people.

I have days where I feel like this. I don't have any energy to do anything, so I drape myself awkwardly over the furniture. So I have that in common with cats. Awesome.


Don't worry Mom, I won't be taking you - but they do have plenty of lint-rollers on hand that you can use when you're ready to leave! Tempting...