The Cat Cafe!

Don’t you love when cats usually know what you need and decide to lay around on it? Or even better yet, lay in any box left around? “If it fits, I sit.” Well Daniel and I found a unique café here in Pyeongtaek, a Cat Café! The cats here had decided that they would want to join our Game of Life and lay on the instruction manual and game board! (And I heard that one is coming to Fort Wayne so it will be nice to have some in the states to try out in the future.) If you don’t want cats all over your personal space, then this might not be the place for you.

After finding a side alley across the street from the city train station and walking up to the third floor you will be welcomed by an array of cats. In order to keep the space more sanitary, the café owners ask that you remove your shoes by the door and use slippers that they supply. But Daniel does not recommend placing your shoes on the bottom shelf of the rack or else you might find several cats napping on your shoes when you are ready to leave! And the customer service at this café is some of the best! There are usually a couple cats meandering around on the counter where you order your drink. (The cost to enter the cat café includes 1 free drink per person, which is around 9,000 won or $6.40.)

Once you enter the café part of the place, you can either sit at a table or on the ground with a lower table. Either way, cats will jump up to your table from the ground or nearby tables, which is fun to watch. Make sure that you don’t sit too hunched over, or a cat will see that as an invitation to perch and maybe nap on your shoulders the whole time. And I have learned to sit as close to the table as I can so that the cats don’t see my open lap as an opportunity get in between me and my drink.

There are typically between nine and fourteen cats there at any given time I believe. And a majority of these cats were adopted from shelters and soak up all the love the customers are willing to give. But there will still be the typically grumpy cat who watches from above and afar to check you out before considering the possibility of saying hi. If you are ever given the chance to visit a cat café, we highly recommend it!