Probably every cat owner agrees that having a purring cat on your lap after a hard day at work is one of the most relaxing feelings in the world. As a cat lover myself, I got very excited when I found out about the Cat Lounge in Dublin, a recently opened establishment in Smithfield, North Dublin. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit and see what it’s all about.
Emma, who is the only full-time employee at Cat Lounge, was kind enough to show us around and tell us their story.
At the moment the Dublin cat café is home to 40 cats of all kinds, sizes, and colours, half of which are kittens. And there is nothing sweeter than two cuddly little kittens playing right in front of you. Pleasure not only for your eyes but also for your soul.
Rules of The Cat Lounge
As a visitor, you are asked to follow certain rules. All these rules were developed and established in the best interest of these fluffy tenants, and also as a necessary health and safety guide for guests.
- No one under the age of 10 is allowed to enter the Cat Lounge, this also includes babies
- Anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult
- Maximum booking is 5
- You cannot feed the cats human food
- If the cats of sleeping, then you cannot wake them
- You must not pick the cats up
- You may not taunt any cats, if they do not want to play with a certain toy and walk away, you must allow them to do so
- You are permitted to take photographs, however, if the cats do not want their photographs taken, you may not pick them up or force them to sit still
- No flash photography
- If the cats want to sit on your lap they will do so, you do not have permission to pick the cats up, sit down with them or hold them on your lap
- Cats do scratch and bite, even though the risks are very low here, by accepting the house rules you are entering at your own risk.
The Layout of the Cat Lounge
Immediately upon entering, we noticed how very relaxed all the cats were. The room is quite big and filled up with all kinds of climbing, exercising and relaxing equipment a kitty could possibly wish for.
The cat houses, obstacles, and toys create a paradise for cats. If I were a cat myself, I would without a doubt want to join this purring and meowing crew. Everywhere, there were cats walking around, playing with toys, or just relaxing in comfy cat beds and sofas. It was obvious that they were all very well looked after.
How Does the Cat Lounge Operate?
Emma was kind enough to give us some information about the place while still keeping an eye on all the cats in the room.
“We work with local rescues and charities, and always make sure all cats undergo a health check and are vaccinated before we take them in,” says Emma.
“Sooner or later, all of these guys go up for adoption. Although we are full at the moment, we always try to help when someone contacts us by pointing them to local charities. Sometimes we even talk to our friends who are able to provide a foster care just to avoid a cat being abandoned. On the other side, there are many people in Dublin who can’t have cats because a landlord won’t allow it. It’s really hard for these people, especially if they were used to having a cat around before. This would be a nice place for them to come in and spend some time with cats.”
Just like most starting businesses the Cat Lounge also went through some initial difficulties. “The whole process took about 3 and a half years” explains Emma. “We started out with about 11 kittens and they all got rehomed. After that, we took in 3 older cats as we wanted people to become more aware of them. We want to show people they can be as fabulous as kittens. All these cats got to their new homes before Christmas.” The cats are being fed dry food twice a day and also non-grain high-quality wet food with a high content of meat. “Their bowls are being licked clean, there is hardly any more cleaning needed” laughs Emma.
Cat Lounge Booking Process
All bookings are online and paid for in advance of the booking. There is no cash handled in store. Cancellation Notice is a minimum of 24 hours before the scheduled visit time.
Cat Lounge Opening Hours
The cat lounge is open 7 days a week.
Please check the website for opening hours and available slots.
Review of the Cat Lounge Dublin
We really enjoyed our visit to this amazing place and we’re bound to recommend it to others. It was a great pleasure watching the kitty crew have fun and live their lives right in the middle of the Irish capital.
We could definitely learn a few things from cats; enjoy your day and don’t rush your time away. Every now and then we simply have to take a break at a warm sunny spot, close our eyes and let our mind purrrr away!
