The Wonderful World of Cat Cafes

Recently I have found out that cat cafes (amongst other animal themes cafes) are wildly popular in South Korea. Being the cat enthusiast myself, I made it my mission to visit one at least once monthly to get a small dose of the happy chemicals serotonin and dopamine. Unbeknownst to me, I had found out that my city back in the states has had its very own cat cafe. For several years. No matter, that will be on the list the minute I get back. Back to the cats in South Korea. I have, since arriving in Korea, attended two cat cafes and their service was simple but worth it. Usually at these establishments, one is to remove their shoes and use the slippers provided, culturally you will do this often due to the custom of not wearing shoes in the home and many establishments. Due to recent times, you will also have to get your temperature checked and hand sanitizer will be provided. The cafe scene is usually laden with simple drinks, which are bundled with the cat viewing experience. Entry will usually cost around 10,000 won or around $9 USD give or take. (The drinks included in the price, usually)

The cats themselves were adorable, each being given cute names like 뽀뽀 (Kiss Kiss), 모모 (Momo), 데이지 (Daisy), 알렉 (Alec) and even a cute orange tabby named (요다) Yoda. The big draw about many of the places is that most (if not all) cats are adoptable and many parts of Seoul have themed animal cafes. The pictures I have attached below are of three cats I met, one being Daisy (orange tabby), the white cat next to is Yogi and the sleepy boy is Sasha. They amongst a slew of about 30 cats was an irreplaceable experience. If you noticed I haven’t touched on much of the food and drink service, (or should I say drink service?), this is because the drink is secondary to the playing, watching, and existing around the cats. There is no time limit and is honestly just a charming, calm, and happy place to visit when you’re feeling down. Petting the cats = instant happy chemicals. The two I visited were located in the Gangnam and Myeongdong areas of Seoul. Myeongdong is a very popular shopping area, which had more than one Cat Cafe but the one I visited spoke to me…by means of a billboard with an arrow pointing me to the cafe in question. I was powerless to their great marketing. Overall, (along with a friend or two), it is my mission to visit various Cat Cafes and possibly even a dog, raccoon, or sheep cafe (should the opportunity present itself).