Cats did not sign up for this emotional labour

[notreallystars]

I went to a cat cafe today and I'm having some feelings. I'm not sure if this needs a warning of any kind - harrassment of animals maybe?

First of all, the cats were beautiful. There were some young kittens who were really sweet, and there was an older cat who was majestic and aloof but also incredibly fluffy. It was lovely to spend time around animals, as I really miss having pets. My friend and I had hot chocolates, talked, and stroked cats that came up to us and I sort of feel that that's what you're intended to do. There were a lot of children there though who chased the cats around the cafe, cornered a few of them by a wall when they were clearly trying to get away, and one parent who lifted his child up so that the child could pet a cat who was very obviously hiding from human interaction. I feel very not good about him.

There were a lot of good house rules there (don't pick up the cats, don't wake sleeping cats etc.) that all seem designed to get people to consider what the cats might want, but they didn't seem to have that effect. It was a bit upsetting to see kittens being chased around a room by people they were clearly trying to get away from. I don't know whether this is just what children are like, or whether we've all become so used to the idea that people who work in food/retail are there to make sure we get the things we want that the children assumed that the cats would be the same, but it was very clear that the cats did not want to be played with.

Apparently the cafe is also a shelter and the cats there can be adopted. I can only imagine that, after being in the cafe, the cats must be relieved to only have a few humans wanting to fuss them.

Comments

[delphi]

Yikes. The idea of a cat cafe is charming, and doubly so if it can be a nice, chill environment for cats in need of homes to get some exposure and socialization. But animals having to stay in a stressful environment and get hectored by customers is exactly why I'm so hesitant about those places.

[notreallystars]

There's one in my city that I'd like to go to before giving up on the idea entirely, because they have an age limit and it was pretty much exclusively children who were harrassing the cats. So that one might be better? I'm sure it can be done well if people are careful and enforce rules about not pestering the cats. It was possible for the cats to leave, but unfortunately the cat exit was where the children were cornering them so...yeah.

In principle the idea is good, particularly as those cats get adopted from the cafe, so in theory it's a good place for them to socialise as well as being a place where people who want to adopt a cat can meet them. That was not what was happening at this place though.

[worlds_of_smoke]

I think that the fault for that probably falls on the shoulders of the parents. They're supposed to be watching after their damn kids.

[notreallystars]

Yeah I was really unimpressed with the parents there. Particularly the guy who lifted his child up to stroke a cat that was hiding.

[enemyofperfect]

I'm having trouble verifying this now, but I feel like I read once that in some cat cafes, there are little doors to let cats that have had enough of humans hang out in a back room for a while. It sounds some of the cats you saw could have used an escape more foolproof than a high perch...

But I'm glad you got to spend some mutually enjoyable time with the cats who sought you out!

[notreallystars]

I think there was something like that, but unfortunately the cat exit was the place where children were cornering the cats while they tried to leave. That system could do with some work. Apparently it's a nice environment for humans and cats when children are at school.

It was nice to have cats wanting to spend time with us!