Following my last post in support of the proposed London cat cafe, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, it’s been brought to my attention that other animal rescue organisations were approached with a view to rehoming cats to the cafe, and that these organisations have declined due to concerns over animal welfare.
My support for Lauren Pears’ proposed cat cafe is based entirely on the fact that Lauren is intending to ‘staff’ the cafe with rescue cats, and that she plans to have the on-going involvement of The Mayhew Animal Home. I feel that if Lauren doesn’t open a cat cafe someone else will – it is after all a potentially lucrative business venture – and that another entrepreneur may well choose to ‘staff’ the cafe with pedigree breeds, chosen for aesthetic reasons, rather than selecting cats on the basis of personalities which are be able to cope with a busy cafe environment. Cat cafes who choose not to rehome rescue cats are also less likely to have their welfare policies and health care plans overseen by an animal welfare charity.
That’s what I think, but am I right? As I’ve already mentioned, other animal welfare organisations have not come out in support of the cat cafe; in fact some are appalled by the idea. These organisations have real concerns about the welfare of the cats who will be living in the cafe, and feel that even the most friendly of cats will be put under stress by the attentions of a constant and ever-changing stream of people 6 days a week. It’s also felt that introducing a large group of cats to each other, and then asking them to share what will be a relatively small territory, will cause additional stress problems: a pecking order will always develop amongst any group of cats, with those lower down the heirachy often severely bullied by the top cats. Finally, it’s thought that despite the fact that the cafe will be adopting rescue cats, it won’t actually be playing a very important rescue role: the sort of super-friendly, laid-back moggies that the cafe requires are really easy to rehome as family pets, and generally spend very little time waiting in rescue centres anyway.
I should also point out that many cat rescue charities welcome the assistance of volunteers to socialise their cats. Socialising provides a vital role in reducing stress levels for cats waiting for new homes, and also helps more timid cats to gain confidence and so become easier to rehome. So if you are unable to keep a cat of your own, but would still like a nice cat cuddle, why not volunteer at your local rescue centre? You’ll even get a cuppa thrown in for free!
Right, now you’ve heard both sides of the argument: what do you think?
Your last paragraph is the best sounding one to me:) Going to volunteer benefit’s ‘all the cat’s’ when you go into a cattery rather than just the select few in a cat cafe, though I think in this situation most of the benefit is for the human. Some of the cats in a rehoming centre can badly do with the extra socialisation to bring them on and stand them greater chance for re-homing.
Needless to say ‘Volunteering’ isn’t just for the people who have plenty of cash in their purses who can afford to go to a rather elete cafe. Volunteering is a free way to cat socialise whilst doing some good at the same time.
I looked at the further details from a link and saw the proposed pledges which went to the extent of asking for TWENTY THOUSAND POUNDS to pay for a cat to have a forever home. I’m not sure if that meant a forever home within the cafe? sorry, but to pay a fee of around sixty pounds from a rehoming centre such as RSPCA which includes neutering and vaccination with the cat having a good chance of being found a suitable family and living environment and to be less crowded without the further stresses of a largish group of cats to contend with topped with largish groups of people appeals to me far more.
FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS to sponsor a cat for a year. If we are talking about nice healthy sociable cats in the cat cafe that have come from a re-homing centre there is a good likelyhood that in far less time than a year the cat will have been offered a home in a more suitable environment for them. Or, you can pay £120 to go to free teaparties (which you’ve paid £120 for) playing an important role in helping the cats become comfortable with a group of guests! What? so they’re not already comfortable and the public need to pay to help them get comfortable. Go straight to the rehoming centre and it wont cost you a penny and the cats will probably feel more comfortable still.
Cats do not generally like as much human company as dogs, who would lavish all the extra attention and affection. Cats like to interact at their own will, when they feel like it, for as long or as little time as they please.
I would not like to put my own cats in such a situation where they were going to be constantly goo’d and gaa’d over and expected to be polite and put up with it. I know for a fact they would absolutely hate it. Do any other cat owners notice the way cats make a sharp exit when certain folk enter your household?
I wont go as far as say it is ‘cruelty’ as dont know the exact number of proposed cats to the allocated area, but cats ‘accept’ up to a certain number within a certain sized territory, and become very uncomfortable when this is exceeded. They ‘have’ specified that the cats will have raised perches so they can retreat from all the human intervention if they want to, and that customers will be asked not to disturb sleeping cats. Good!
I cant quite decide whether the whole enterprise is a good one or bad one. Obviously I have plenty of cat socialisation as have 4 that own me plus volunteer on top at Paws. RSPCA
I’m not sure if they intend to keep a group of cats in there indefinately, until such time as they are re-homed, but I cant help thinking … the people who are going to actually use the cat cafe aren’t in the position to rehome them anyway … that’s why they’re there in theory, because they aren’t able to have cats of their own though work related or accomodation type scenarios.
I think if welfare groups are raising points they must be addressed as the welfare of the cats to be used in this enterprise should be considered first and foremost before the facilitating humans to spend some exclusive time with cats in a wonderful setting for ‘them’
I agree with you, Emma – the fact that there’s an animal charity actively involved in the set-up and on-going cat care programme is absolutely crucial. If Lauren wasn’t intending to rehomne rescue cats, and have a continuing involvement with an animal welfare organisation, I wouldn’t be supporting the venture. Sadly, I suspect it won’t be too long before someone else jumps on the cat cafe band wagon who maybe isn’t so discerning about welfare issues as Lauren, but let’s hope that isn’t the case.
Hilary, I agree that the more expensive pledge options don’t sound like particularly good value for money, but I’m guessing this is often the case with crowd funding ventures – maybe everyone tacks on a couple of whoppers at the end of their wish list and then crosses their fingers that they find a big investor!
I can understand your concerns over the quality of life for the cats who may end up living in the cafe, but as the cats are being selected by Mayhew staff on the basis of having suitable temperaments for that kind of environment, they should be ok. And I’m sure that any cats who aren’t happy in the cafe environment will be returned to the care of the Mayhew so that they can be found more conventional homes. I’ve personally know cats who are very happy in a busy human environment: I used to work in a pub where the resident cats chose to spend most of their time in the public bar because they enjoyed the company of the customers and all the attention that was lavished on them – in fact one of the cats actually used to sleep on top of the bar when the pub was open, and I used to have to pass people their drinks over a snoozing cat!
I also think, as Emma pointed out, that the cafe could be used positively to raise public awareness of cat rescue charities and the important work they carry out, and, with any luck, could generate donations to help fund rescue cat care and also encourage more people to volunteer at their local rescues. (Great to hear from a fellow cat volunteer by the way, Hilary – keep up the good work!)
Thanks to both of you for your well-considered comments – it’s great to get a range of opinions on an important subject like this!
I can see both sides of the argument, but the fact that its proven to be a success and is so popular in Japan means that a lot of the how/why/wherefores have already been worked out. I think its a great idea and I am intending to be one of the first customers. Crucially for me is the involvement of the animal rescues, who will know which cats are suitable for this kind of environment and which are not and will be on hand to provide specific advice to create the right environment for the cats. I think it can only help to advertise the fact more widely that there are so many cats that need homes. It will provide a way for cat-less people (pets are typically prohibited in rented flats which there are a lot of in London) to get their cat fix.
Good luck Lauren, I’m sorry that what is clearly a well intentioned idea has caused such controversy for you.