To boldly go where no kitten has gone before: Catmosphere cat cafe is open for business
What started as a simple idea for Haymarket resident Thomas Derricott last November has evolved into an already flourishing business, with hundreds of cafe- goers eagerly making their way to the weekend launch of Surry Hills’ Catmosphere.
Following a trend that began in Japan, cat cafes – which offer patrons a chance to interact with in-house pets – are starting to open all over Sydney. With 19 cats on-site, Mr Derricott said his venue launch which focusses heavily on the theme of cats in space was a big learning experience.
Following a trend that began in Japan, cat cafes – which offer patrons a chance to interact with in-house pets – are starting to open all over Sydney. With 19 cats on-site, Mr Derricott said his venue launch which focusses heavily on the theme of cats in space was a big learning experience.
“When you are launching a cat cafe in the inner city, I suppose there aren’t too many other examples,” he said.
“For example, our weekend was entirely booked up in advance, which was great, but what we found was that while the cats were extremely happy and playful in the morning, by the afternoon they were exhausted.
“So what we are going to do is seal off a couple of spots in the afternoon for some of the cats to rest and recharge their batteries.
“There were a couple of people that were a little sad that the cats were sleeping by the afternoon so we are working now to find a balance that will allow some of the cats to sleep and some to play.”
Working with a local rescue animal welfare group, Mr Derricott hopes to introduce more cats to the cafe in the coming weeks.
“We have 19 cats at the moment and we are looking to bring in a few extra cats to augment into the rotation,” he said.
“We have maximum intake of 15 guests per hour but there are certain times of the day when we amend that amount to ensure some of the cats can get some rest.
“We work primarily with the World League for Protection of Animals and all our cats are rescue cats. The League works with us to help us select the right cats that will benefit from human interaction.”
DETAILS
WHAT: Catmosphere
WHERE: 66 Foveaux St, Surry Hills
WHEN: Thursday and Sunday: 7.30-9am, Friday and Saturday: 7.30am-10pm
CONTACT: catmospherecafe.com
Source: The Daily Telegraph / News Local Central, James Gorman, July 31st 2015
Originally published as: To boldly go where no kitten has gone before: Catmosphere cat cafe is open for business
