I love cats. My little tuxedo baddie, Ernie, is enough proof of that. But when we went to Japan, I was a bit hesitant about visiting a cat cafe, mostly because I had read a few unfavorable things online about how the animals were treated and what the conditions of their captivity are. However, when we researched the trip, we managed to find one of the more reputable cafes for a stop in and decided on a short trip to Cat Cafe MoCHA. The company is the oldest and most prolific in Tokyo, with several locations around the huge city, and they are reported to treat their cats well. So on a rainy wander, we visited their Shibuya location – a lofty two-story playroom nestled into a many-storied high-rise – to experience a Japanese cat cafe for ourselves.

The first thing I noticed was all of the cats are completely normalized to humans, sleeping during the day and not all that interested in playing. However, some still have their hunting instincts, which is where Jon and I had a lot of fun using the poofy toys strewn about. They also didn’t seem to sit still enough to want to be petted; instead, they kept a little out of arms reach and weren’t interested in snuggling. We had a good time, however, and I simply enjoyed the hour we spent sitting around the cute, fluffy beasts, who were significantly more pedigreed and well-tempered than my own little outdoor cat. Oh, and the cafe aspect was pretty underwhelming – just an automated machine that dispenses your drink of choice. But let’s be honest, you don’t go to one of these places for the coffee!

Here are some of the snaps I took of the kitties that lived in this cat cafe – I hope you enjoy them!

Have you ever been to a cat cafe? What did you think of them?