Taiwan’s subsequent era of ‘cats and low’ characteristic strays for adoption.
Taiwan has lengthy been a vacation spot for cat lovers, ever because the first cat café, Cat Flower Garden (now referred to as Café Dogs & Cats), opened its doorways in Taipei in 1998. Since then, the development has swept throughout Japan with the remainder of the world not too long ago catching on.
The nation has remained a gentle presence on the cat café scene with loads of choices to get your kitty repair, from conventional cat cafes to common cafes with a store cat, and now, cafes that characteristic adoptable felines.
While many Taiwanese cat cafes have rescue kitties in everlasting residence (non-adoptable), there’s a rising development of cat cafés serving to felines looking for their ceaselessly houses.
A hybrid between a shelter and café, this model of cats and low is vastly fashionable in North America the place native rescues and sanctuaries companion with cafes to get kitties out of cages and right into a social setting the place they will shine in entrance of potential adopters.
Such cat cafes are a lot rarer in Asia (typically known as ‘midway homes’), however I used to be pleasantly shocked to find a number of all through Taiwan as a part of my quest to go to each cat café on the planet.
These devoted of us not solely facilitate rescue/adoption, but additionally assist educate the group on animal welfare points equivalent to *TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), and train potential adopters about cat care and the obligations of cat possession.
As a overseas customer, you in all probability aren’t going to be adopting a cat in Taiwan, however if you wish to help rescue efforts whereas having a singular trip expertise, take into account a go to to one of many following cat cafes.
Camulet
I occurred upon Camulet accidentally strolling to a special cat café and it turned out among the finest in Taipei. Call it kitty serendipity.
Not solely is Camulet a pleasant place to take pleasure in a espresso break, the cats are additionally accessible for adoption, proving {that a} high quality café expertise and animal rescue will not be mutually unique.
Located in Banqiao district, the store has been so fashionable because it opened in May final yr, that my preliminary request for a Saturday afternoon desk couldn’t be accommodated. Returning a couple of hours later, I understood why.
One of the nicest cat café amenities in Taiwan, this lovely area has been designed for optimum cat interplay with seating at low tables that encourage lap guests. With spare and fashionable interiors, comfortable lighting, and a rotation of cute cat movies, Camulet provides a wonderfully balanced ambiance of cheerful and calm.
Ten cats are in residence, all accessible for adoption. Many have discovered their approach to the café by individuals who feed avenue cats, nevertheless, not all cats are appropriate for this setting, and people within the café have been fastidiously chosen by the proprietor, who has studied cat habits. She ensures the cats keep away from stress by offering an escape room and limiting the variety of guests and really younger kids. Her socialization technique seems to be working, because the kitties appear playfully glad, and 6 have discovered everlasting houses to date.
The service is equally beautiful with caring employees providing a big menu of salad, pasta and rice dishes in addition to desserts and drinks. There is a minimal spend requirement of 200 NTD ($6.72).
With a super setting, pleasant individuals, nice meals and cute cats, Camulet is a top quality expertise that’s no accident.
As an achieved violinist, Emily Lin is well-known in Taiwan for her music and love of cats, holding live shows to boost funds for her shelter and cat café, Music & Cats.
I found the espresso store via a fellow cat lover I met on-line whereas tweeting about cats and Taiwan. He supplied to indicate me a few of his favourite cat cafes which are lesser identified and doubtlessly difficult to seek out for overseas guests.
We met at Qizhang station and chatted about journey and cats as we walked down Muxin Road till we reached Wenshan district, home of Music & Cats.
Our group acquired a pleasant welcome by Emily’s buddy, who launched us to Emily whereas we sat down to talk over a cup of espresso. Emily has been rescuing cats for over 5 years and opened her café two years in the past. There are presently thirty cats in residence at Music & Cats, and one other twenty at her different facility.
She takes in cats which are troublesome, and works diligently to socialize them. One such kitty is Mao Mao, a stunning white British Shorthair affected by habits points since she was deserted by her proprietor (it was found she is deaf). Things have slowly improved below the love and care of Emily, however she is aware of this truthful feline would like to be the one cat within the family with a affected person proprietor who can provide her plenty of time and area to blossom.
Developing an acceptable adopter profile is a part of Emily’s socialization course of, and it isn’t simple discovering such particular houses, however she perseveres.
We spent an hour assembly the cats and chatting about animal rescue in Taiwan earlier than I took a couple of photographs of Emily’s treasured fur infants, together with an excellent shot of Mao Mao, who had been elusive throughout my go to.
It was a cheerful ending that I hope translated into an excellent omen for the snow goddess.
Down a fairly lane in Yonghe district, near Dingxi metro station is a small cat café crammed with massive hearts.
Open practically seven years, Cat Art Home makes a speciality of caring for Taipei’s actually forgotten felines- these which are ailing, outdated or produce other challenges. The caring employees have given these particular cats plenty of further love and a focus, equivalent to one poor child that had most cancers and required hand-feedings.
Whatever they’re doing is clearly working as a result of yearly Cat Art Home facilitates over 100 adoptions!
I visited on a busy Thursday afternoon and was fortunate that the volunteer who greeted me spoke English as she was in a position to reply my questions in regards to the facility.
She famous there have been twenty cats in residence and launched me to a number of, together with a candy little tabby, a former runt-of-the-litter and lovely white Lulu, a spirited woman that turned a bit overzealous when my thumb bought in the way in which of her moist deal with.
We spent the following hour discussing the rescue scene in Taipei whereas a gentle stream of regulars socialized with the kitties within the easy, but stress-free ambiance. The area is crammed with quirky cat artwork and set to a soundtrack of lullaby music.
There is a 275 TWD minimal spend requirement with quite a lot of drinks and desserts accessible.
While the least business of the cafes profiled on this article, Cat Art Home’s dedication to serving to Taipei’s susceptible felines is most admirable and deserving of help.
Tucked away within the shadow of Civic Boulevard near Taipei Main Station is Lang Lang Don’t Cry, also called Pet Halfway House, a hip café run by devoted animal welfare advocates.
Opened in 2015, this two-story rescue and adoption middle is exclusive in that it homes each canines (first ground) and cats (second ground), plus a espresso bar/restaurant.
The day I visited was fairly busy, however pleasant Julia greeted me warmly after which ready an impressive iced latte whereas she gave me the lowdown on the café and their rescue efforts. The house owners, Tan Jou and husband Alan Liu, determined to open espresso store as a approach to socialize stray animals and enhance their possibilities of being adopted. They have been very profitable, with over 200 canines and cats adopted previously 2.5 years.
As extra firms and people have joined them of their efforts, the café has outgrown its present area and is predicted to maneuver to a brand new location this yr.
Tan and Alan’s method drives a lot of their success, a mix of grass roots promotion and correct vetting of potential adopters.
The store makes use of social media to advertise animals accessible for adoption, together with cute photographs and tales about their personalities. The café now has a big group of loyal followers that assist unfold the phrase about rescue and adoption.
However, the house owners are additionally cautious of proprietor abandonment and have stringent necessities for potential adopters, equivalent to spending time with the animal on the café, taking part in an interview and residential go to, paying for medical therapy, vaccines and microchip, plus signing an settlement promising they won’t desert their pet.
Eventually, I made my manner upstairs and was found 4 cats, two playful tabbies, one energetic black, and a shy orange. I turned quick pals with Guo-Guo and he rewarded my head rubs with glad purrs.
One of the spectacular issues about Lang Lang is the sensation of group. It’s not simply the friendliness of the employees both—fellow patrons smile at each other and share recommendations on which cat likes chin rubs or which canine prefers ear scratches.
With a central Taipei location, inclusive ambiance, high quality espresso and cute animals, supporting stray animals has by no means been simpler or extra enjoyable!
* TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is a program the place group (feral) cats are humanely trapped, delivered to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped, after which returned to their outside residence.
The Neighbor’s Cat is the alter ego of Paula LaBine, an itinerant cat lover who writes about cat cafes, cat journey and rescue/adoption. She is visiting each cat café on the planet, 194 in 28 nations to date! Find her at theneighborscat.com or on Facebook/Twitter @catcafeviews.
The Neighbor’s Cat is the alter ego of Paula LaBine, an itinerant cat lover who writes about cat cafes, rescue/adoption & TNR, and has been featured in Miau Magazine, Katzenworld Blog, The Catnip Times and Taiwan Scene. She is presently on a quest to go to each cat café on the planet, 217 in 29 nations to date! Find her at theneighborscat.com or on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter @catcafeviews.
