In this post I will share with you some highlights from two cat cafes and one bunny cafe that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting in Vancouver, BC. Vancouver doesn’t have a monopoly on animal cafes; they were first seen in Taiwan during the 1990’s, and are incredibly popular in places like Japan. Animal cafes are becoming increasingly popular in North America, with more popping up all the time. They seem to provide the perfect balance of “pet therapy” alongside your tea & coffee fix.
No matter if you’re a “dog person” or a “cat person”, I have no doubt you’ll have a grand time at the cat cafes in Vancouver, as well as at the adorable bunny cafe.
Catoro Cafe (Est. 2019)
Located at 666 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC
This cat cafe is so “kawaii”! As you may have guessed from the name, this cafes decor is seemingly inspired by the classic Studio Ghibli movie, My Neighbor Totoro (Miyazaki, 1988). When you’re with the cat’s in the “cat forest” they are free to roam while you sit on the forest themed furniture hoping to gain their attention. Even if you’re not looking to adopt, simply being a patron at this cafe helps the rescue cats to thrive and allows Catoro Cafe to continue finding furever homes for them.
Don’t they just melt your heart?
Catoro cafe is divided into two distinct sections; cafe + “cat forest”. This helps to keep everything food safe and tidy. The menu here offers a wide variety of bubble tea’s for you to choose from; creamy, classic, seasonal options, and more. To view their full drink menu click here! Everything looks delicious. Although their drink menu is top notch, the main focus of this Cafe is their adorable rescue cats who are up for adoption and who you get to interact with during your visit.
When my partner and I first visited Catoro Cafe years ago, I had recently lost my long-time family tabby cat whose name was Heidi. I had grown up with Heidi since I was 5 years old, so I was really missing her. My partner decided he’d surprise me with a trip to the perfect place in the world at the time; Catoro Cafe. I was delighted but still grieving, so being surrounded by sweet kitties was both healing and bitter sweet. I was relishing the experience so much that I didn’t end up taking many photos, so the following are from other websites and credited as such.
Top left: Image borrowed from dailyhive.com, Bottom left: Image borrowed from straight.com, Right: Image borrowed from foodology.ca
Reservations are recommended for visiting the rescue cats, and cost $18.00/50min. You can expect to see up to 11 other people visiting the cats at the same time as you (12 person max. capacity, ages 5+), however, you also have the option to arrange a private booking. Click here to learn more about having the cafe all to yourself. Additionally, you can purchase various cat supplies during your visit if you like which makes Catoro Cafe a true one-stop-shop for all you cat-lovers.
How do you find this sweet oasis you may ask? Well, it is a little out of the way but the slight detour is 100% worth it! If you’re coming from downtown Vancouver you can catch the Canada Line sky-train at Vancouver City Centre station, getting off at Broadway-City Hall station to catch the 99 express bus. Still following? Once you’re on the 99 heading toward East Vancouver make sure to get off at the Fraser St. stop. It’s then a 2min walk and you’ll be at Catoro Cafe!
Catfe (Est. 2015)
Located at 2035-88 Pender St W, International Village Mall, Vancouver, BC
This cat cafe is located in the top level of the International Village Mall in downtown Vancouver. I loved my time at Catfe when I went with my partner a few years ago, and then again with my mum after that. It’s the perfect place to bring a date, your friends, family, or just to go on your own for some wonderful cat therapy. Here the cafe and cat portions are also kept separate, and you can purchase cute souvenirs which are all cat themed.
Reservations are recommended if you’re wanting to interact with the cats while you’re here, which you of course do unless you’re a poor unfortunate soul with a cat allergy. The reservation slots cost $16.75/55mins or you could go for a short morning visit at $8.35/30mins. Also, before I forget to mention it all of the cats at Catfe are up for adoption! So keep this place in mind if you’re thinking about getting a sweet feline friend as your newest family member.
The neat thing about this cat cafe is that there is more to do here than meets the eye. For instance, have you ever wondered what it would be like to do Yoga with a cat? Well now you can find out by booking an hour of “Nameowste Cat Yoga” for $30.00! Click here to see a full list of all the fun things offered at Catfe in Vancouver.
These photos were admittedly taken a few years ago, so hopefully all the kitties shown here have been adopted by now and you’ll be greeted with a whole new gang of cats when you next visit Catfe inside the International Village Mall, downtown Vancouver.
The Bunny Cafe (Est. 2021)
Located at 1696 Venables St., Vancouver, BC
I was absolutely thrilled to find out that Vancouver has it’s very own bunny cafe. The premise here is the same as at the cat cafes previously mentioned; all the bunnies/rabbits are up for adoption and are roaming freely as you visit them. They’re all so adorable it’s difficult to not fall in love at first sight! Catfe and The Bunny Cafe are owned by the same company, working their hardest to find loving homes for these beautiful rescue animals and serving up delicious treats all the while.
Their little furniture makes my heart happy.
All three cafes have themed souvenirs you can purchase before or after your visit with the animals. Think tote bags, water bottles, stickers, cards, figurines, keychains, t-shirts, mugs, slippers, and more. While you’re visiting the rabbits at The Bunny Cafe, you’re given a little cup full of various greens to feed them. When I experienced this a couple weeks ago the bunnies were all eager to get a bite and very friendly. Some of them were determined to stay asleep for the whole ordeal, while others tried to steal lettuce from my cup while I wasn’t looking.
Bunnies, like people, all have different sorts of personalities and comfort levels when it comes to interacting with others. It’s important to always give them the space they need, and allow them to approach you when and if they feel like it.
It costs $16.75/55mins of bunny paradise, and reservations are recommended. When you first enter the dreamy bunny haven you’ll be asked to wash your hands before interacting with any of the rabbits. There are hooks to hang your jackets and any bags you may have with you, and a short table with bunny themed colouring pages for any little ones (ages 5+) needing a break.
If you visit in the late winter or early spring you may be able to see very young, energetic bunnies flopping themselves around and searching for attention. These little bunnies are much more rambunctious than the full grown rabbits in general.
Simply The Best Cafes
Animal cafes are simply the best kinds of cafes to visit. They offer a unique sensory experience to people of all ages and backgrounds, animal lovers or not. Combining a cafe with adorable critters might have been one of the best ideas ever hatched in Taiwan, I’m so glad it’s spread like wildfire to this part of the world.
Thanks so much for reading this post! I hope you’ve learned something new and are able to visit one or more of these three delightful animal cafes found in Vancouver, BC. Which kind of animal cafe do you think will be spotted in Vancouver next? I’m hoping for hedgehogs ^_^.
Thoughts to Writings 