Love cats? Then what are you waiting for? Join me for a visit to the Cat Cafe Manchester!
After announcing its closure in January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cat Cafe left a huge cat-shaped hole in the capital of the North. So when the brand-new Cat Cafe Manchester opened its doors in Barton Arcade on Deansgate to visitors at the end of May, I made it my mission to visit!
You may be wondering what is so special about a cat cafe, especially this cat cafe. Well, their mission is to make animal-assisted therapy accessible on the high street and to help people feel better. Mission succeeded! I definitely felt better after both of my visits this year!
The cats all get along well, and each cat is chosen because their nature is well-suited to a cafe environment. The staff at Cat Cafe are passionate about the cats, and they have a set of house rules which customers must adhere to to ensure the cats’ happiness. The cats have weekly health checks and have their own large, private room and spaces where they are free to wander in and out as they please. Each cat has a different personality (you always leave with a favourite or two!), and there are plenty of toys for the cats to play with. I would advise watching your drink, though!
Cat Cafe limits the number of customers to ensure the cats aren’t overcrowded. On both our visits, we had plenty of space. In fact, on our second visit, we had the place to ourselves for the first half an hour. It was bliss!
We paid £18 each for an hour, which included unlimited hot & cold drinks from the drinks station. There is also a menu to choose from should you want something to eat or a “premium” drink.
For anyone with mobility issues, the entry is level-access, and there is a small lift with a ‘hold-to-run’ button, should you be unable to use the stairs. We discovered that some of the cats like to go and lie beneath wheelchairs, so do check that one or two of the cats aren’t hiding under your wheelchair before you leave. For those able to use the stairs, do be aware that stairs are a popular place for cats to lie!
If you’re visiting Liverpool, the Cat Cafe has a sister cafe on Bold Street which is well worth a visit too.
No visit to Manchester is complete without a visit to the Cat Cafe!
2 Comments
Kelly
I feel better after just looking at your photos! Do they have a pamphlet or something to help you know who is who? They are all beauties! Gracie and Roman really are giving you “the look”!
Nikki
Yes, they do! They’re on the tables, along with the menus.