Best Cat Cafes Near Los Angeles
Los Angeles is known for plenty of swanky restaurants and cafes, but the city also excels at combining foodies and felines—a scene known as the cat cafe.
Despite LA’s reputation for ephemeral trends, the motivation behind these cat cafes runs deeper than sipping a soy latte next to a clump of kittens. These facilities are actually rescue shelters for cats in need, providing them a key opportunity for human socialization and ultimately, adoption. Therefore, the kitties come first and the coffee second.
While the end goal might be to find permanent homes for feline rescues, Los Angeles cat cafes welcome cat-lovers who might not be able to have a kitty in their own home, visitors passing through who might need a furry snuggle, as well as the cat-curious.
Best Cat Cafes Near Los Angeles
We’ve expanded our search for the best Los Angeles cat cafes into greater Southern California. Unfortunately, the pandemic has permanently closed the doors of more than one kitten cafe, including Catmosphere, the first cat cafe in Orange County.
Still, despite cafes being shuttered for a year, pet adoption is at an all-time high. These dedicated cat cafes in Los Angeles and beyond are navigating constant changes to continue to make a difference in the lives of cats and cat-lovers.
CatCafe Lounge
1736 South Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles
If you can visit just one cat cafe in Los Angeles, make it CatCafe Lounge, which is LA’s only nonprofit cat cafe and catio. The catio is a unique, uncovered outdoor area where cats and patrons can lounge and enjoy each other’s company in the California sunshine. According to the rescue, CatCafe has saved more than 600 felines since its inception in 2018. It’s a designated no-kill shelter, with an affiliation from Maddie’s Fund.
The cat lounge offers hot and cold beverages, with enticing options like a chai tea latte, pomegranate kombucha, or nitro cold brew. Nibbles are also provided for purchase, based on the day’s availability. Plenty of cute merch is also for sale, both in store and online, and proceeds of course help fund the cafe. So, leave the beaches to the dogs and check out this cafe and catio!
Plan Your Visit: Visits are booked with an online reservation for $35 per person and limited to 75 minutes. Kids must be at least 7 years old, and all visitors must be able to reach the second floor without an elevator. Private parties are available to book.
CatCafe is open noon to 7 p.m. on weekdays; 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends; and closed on Tuesdays.
COVID-19 protocols dictate that masks are worn at all times, except while actively eating or drinking. Visitors must be seated at a table to enjoy their beverages.
Crumbs and Whiskers
7924 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
Crumbs & Whiskers cat cafe is the chi-chi version you would expect of Hollywood, though no less altruistic. Is there a neon sign and shag throw pillows? Yes. Do patrons include Paris Hilton and Nicole Kidman? Also yes. But most importantly: Are there lots and lots of cats up for adoption? You bet.
It’s important to note that adoptions through Crumbs & Whiskers’ partner require that you adopt two cats or have a kitty at home to socialize with your new fur baby. Adoption fees are $200 for one cat and $350 for two. According to their site, more than 1,800 cats and counting have been adopted out so far.
The menu here, through a partnership with Coffee Dose, includes a number of hot or iced lattes, as well as a vegan hot chocolate. All snacks, including doughnuts and cookies, are vegan; food is served until 3:30 daily. If you’re planning on indulging, order 10 minutes prior to your appointment time to allow the food to be prepared offsite.
Plan Your Visit: Reservations to visit the cats and cafe must be made online, and all visitors are required to be vaccinated; children 7 to 11 must show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their visit.
Thirty minutes with the kitties is $25 per person, while 70 minutes is $40, and face masks must be worn at all times. One-hour trivia and theme nights, from the ‘90s to Taylor Swift, are fun events to add to the social calendar of any cat lady (or gentleman).
Crumbs & Whiskers is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays.
Feline Good Social Club
301 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach
If you’re looking for the most kitty cuddles for your buck, head to Feline Good Social Club, a cat cafe in Long Beach, just outside of LA. Here, 50 minutes with these sweet rescues is just $15 per person to savor the company of more than 25 cats.
At Feline Good, socialization and adoption is at the forefront through their partner Long Beach Felines. At this time, food and beverages are not being served in the lounge.
Plan Your Visit: Reservations can be made online, and children aged 7 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two children per adult. Vaccines are required, and masks must be worn at all times.
Feline Good Social Club is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with the last reservation at 5 p.m.) on Mondays, and Thursdays through Sundays; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tips for Planning Your Los Angeles Cat Cafe Visit
If you want to visit a cat cafe during your Los Angeles visit, make sure to take these tips into consideration when planning.
Read the fine print. Nearly all of the cat cafes listed have non-refundable reservation policies within 24 hours of your time slot, so be sure to read the fine print if you think you might have to cancel your appointment.
Manage expectations. Cats sleep most of the day, so they might not be ready for playtime. The best chance at playful kitties is the first appointment of the day.
Don’t plan on a full meal. While drinks and snacks are typically offered at these cafes, cats remain the primary focus, so plan meals accordingly. Especially during the pandemic, regulations might restrict the availability of food and beverage, or where it can be consumed.
Have allergy medicine on hand. If you get the sniffles around new kit-cats, an allergy pill might not be a bad idea prior to your visit. Buy some merch. T-shirts, hats, and other fun merchandise make great souvenirs or gifts, and directly support the efforts of the cafes.
