Feline GOOD
Linda plans to open first ever ‘cat cafe’ in Wales
THE first cat cafe in Wales hopes to leave visitors “feline” good and find homes for North Wales’ neglected moggies.
Linda Jones, of Nantlle in Gwynedd, plans to open the Cheshire Cat Cafe in Llandudno to provide visitors with coffee, good local food and plenty of cats.
A volunteer at the Bryn-y-Maen RSPCA centre in Colwyn Bay, the 50-year-old hopes to “crowdfund” the venture through donations from animal lovers.
Linda, who lives with her cats Rosa and Gracie, was inspired by other cat cafes around the world, including the numerous examples in Japan and establishments in London and Edinburgh.
She said: “There are a lot of people who live in supported housing or have special needs, or who love animals and live in rented accommodation. They don’t get the chance to be around animals.
“We will have up to 10 cats there at a time and they will all be of a good temperament.
“At the Cheshire Cat Cafe, people can book a 90-minute slot and sit and be around them. For groups that book, we will have proper sessions where they can relax, de-stress and be around and learn about the cats.
“It’s absolutely a therapeutic thing. It’s been well reported that it relaxes people to be around pets, and this will be the first cafe of its kind in Wales.”
Linda also wants to give cats who would normally be left behind a chance to find a home.
She said: “The cats that are older or have missing limbs tend to get left behind, but our cat cafe will be ideal for those.”
Linda will work with catteries and animal rescue centres across North Wales to find homes for the cafe’s cats, while a TV screen in the cafe will show cats in need of a home from across North Wales.
She has been in touch with the Food Standards Agency and Conwy council’s environmental health department to ensure that the cafe would meet all public health standards.
The Cater veterinary practice in Llandudno would care for the cats at Linda’s cafe.
Linda said: “Cats actually like to stay up quite high, so we will be making allowances for that too.
“Visitors can see and be around the cats, but we won’t be encouraging them to pick them up.”
Linda’s appeal to raise money for the cafe will be launched on crowdfunding website Kickstarter this month. She will then have 30 days to raise the funds.
She said: “In my experience of fundraising, I believe people will get behind this. We also have plans to help all animal rescue centres financially across North Wales.”
The first cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998, and others have opened all over the world. The only others currently found in the UK are in London and Edinburgh.