By Veni Fields
After the first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998 and became a global tourist destination, they spread like a fertile field of catnip throughout Japan, England, and Canada. The first in the United States opened its doors in California in 2014, acting as a bridge between shelters and new homes for cats. Since then, more than a dozen cat cafés have sprung up across Indiana, offering food, beverages, and plenty of creative activities.
NINE LIVES CAT CAFÉ
1315 Shelby St. #1, Indianapolis, IN 46203
If you didn’t know that a hug around the neck by a gray feline with penetrating green eyes was exactly what you needed, Nine Lives Cat Café in the Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis is the place to discover that it is. Among his adoptable peers, Weeble is the resident “Love Monster.” Nine Lives, opened by father and daughter Eric and Selena Hubbard in 2016 and purchased by Kelley Niiyama in 2020, is the premier cat café in Indiana.
Nine Lives offers cat-themed merch, brewed, iced, bubbly, or blended drinks, and fresh treats from 4 Birds Bakery. It hosts special events, from comedy shows to “Yoga with Cats.” Through its two cat lounges and connections to three shelters to vet adoptive pet parents, around 2,000 cats and kittens have found forever homes through Nine Lives.
BTOWN MEOW CAT CAFÉ
5015 Hwy 46, Unit O, Bloomington, IN 47404
Along with steaming or icy beverages and purring lap snugglers, Btown Meow Cat Café in Bloomington offers regular and special events like bingo and Kitty Kids Camp. The café was opened in November 2023 by Amber Moore and her daughter, Karrah.
Visitors can view the cat lounge from the coffee shop side with a sweet treat, reserve a spot to socialize with the whiskered little wonders from Bloomington Animal Shelter, or select a gift, from key chains to hoodies, to reflect their love of cats.
CAT LADY CAFÉ
401 E. Colfax Ave., Suite 104, South Bend, IN 46617
Kim Sult, owner of Cat Lady Café in South Bend, estimates that “rescue math” means that two lives are saved with every cat adoption — the one who has found a loving home and the rescued one who will take its place in the cat lounge.
Through her connection with the Humane Society of St. Joseph County, the Cat Lady Café has helped create more than 120 new cat parents since March 2023.
Human guests can enjoy lemonade blends, flavored lattes and brews from Bendix Coffee Roasters, baked treats from Thistle & Knead Gluten Free Bakery and The Cakery, and regular and special events, from “Crochet with Cats” to bingo, mini golf, and “Cat Chats” with local veterinarians.
THE REGION CAT CAFÉ
281 W. 80th Place, Merrillville, IN 46410
With her close friend, Chef Jason, and foster-based rescue, Second Chance 4 Pets, The Region Cat Café owner Linda Ramos has helped over 400 cats find new homes since December 2021.
Chef Jason freshly makes soups, desserts, and signature sandwiches — like croissant chicken salad and roast beef with caramelized onions — daily. A beverage menu offers specialty hot or iced coffees, cold and warm drinks, and even beer and wine. Events have included painting with cats, a book club, and a free class on safe essential oils for cats.
The lounges within the cat cafés may have age restrictions and fees. Check out their websites and social media accounts for detailed information and photos of prospective adoptees.
Veni Fields is a journalist and freelance writer from Virginia Beach.
