Capitol Hill? More like CATpital Hill now that Neko Cafe has opened it's doors for business!
At this cozy spot, customers can get a cup of coffee and a cookie, or down a glass of champagne and a donut - all served with a cuddly surprise.
KITTIES!
In this space, frisky felines and catatonic kittens to their thing - and people pay to be a part of it.
"You can just come in with your drinks or food and then you can hang out with the kitties for either thirty minutes or an hour depending on your time frame!" said Caitlin Unsell, founder and heat cat lady at Neko. "The cats just roam around freely and have fun - and they're all up for adoption as well."
Whether playing or being petted, these furry friends are lapping up the love. While their personalities may be different, these cats have something in common: they're all hunting for their forever home.
"All of our cats are FELV positive," said Unsell. "That stands for Feline Leukemia Virus. They have a weakened immune system so it predisposes them to get things like cancer and other diseases."
Don't get sad yet!
"They can still live long happy lives!" said Unsell. "[But] they're often overlooked with adoption, so we want to put them in the best light possible."
The tail of how Neko came to be started in Japan. In fact, the word "neko" means cat in Japanese.
"I lived in Japan for a couple years," explains Unsell. "And in Japan they're really popular and I had left my cat Jamil at home while I lived abroad with my partner Cory. Of course I missed my kitties and so I started checking out cat cafes around town and I fell in love with them."
And Unsell isn't the only one who thinks these cafes are the cat's meow, for fellow feline lovers the concept is like catnip!
"Cats are just such amazing animals," she said. "They bring so much happiness to people. They're soothing and they're sweet - well not all of them. We want to be the ultimate destination for cat lovers and cats."
Neko Cat Cafe
519 E. Pine St.
Seattle, WA 98122
