Catoro Cafe is the newest cat cafe to open up in Vancouver. They have partnered up with Cat Therapy & Rescue Society, a no-kill policy organization that takes in stray cats and readies them for adoption to find them a forever home.
I have had 2 adopted cats for the last 6 years and they are just the most precious creatures. Mew and Gandalf named after Pokemon and Lord of the Rings characters are the most sweetest cats ever and we only met them for about 10 minutes before adopting them. Back then, there were no cat cafes where you can take your time to play and understand their personality for hours before you choose to adopt. It’s a big commitment and you want to make sure their personality matches you and your household.
This is why I am a big fan of cat cafes because you can take your time knowing the cats, it’s all vetted so the cats are in good condition and its a suitable match.
Of course there is no obligation to adopt at all. If you’re not in the neighbourhood for a cat and just want some cat time without the commitment, thats what cat cafes are for. Some people may not be able to keep cats because they’re renting or just don’t have the time to take care of them. You can hang out with them at Catoro Cafe from 15 minutes to 2 hours if you wish.
Catoro Cafe is one half cafe and one half cat forest. We were invited to check out the space. I was excited to check it out as I’ve been to Cat Cafes around the world.
Cafe
You will walk into the cafe first to check in for the cat forest, order your snacks and beverages, or just observe the cat forest from afar. Good for those who are allergic or scared of cats.
They have a wide range of drinks which is surprising because I wouldn’t have imagined a cat cafe to have some decent drinks. They aren’t a bubble tea shop, but I like the wide variety. There is brown sugar milk teas, fruity drinks and even Vietnamese iced coffee.
Menu
Catoro Milk Tea
This is essentially milk tea and I always get this when I go to any new cafe to see if they can make a decent milk tea. They definitely did deliver as it has a nice black tea aroma and it’s not too sweet. The pearls had a good texture too.
Sparkling Lychee Rose with Crystal Jelly
This isn’t as effervescent as I imagined, but you will get a strong lychee taste and then the rose follows. The bottom on the drink has the crystal jelly. Make sure to mix the drink up so any syrup that sinks to the bottom of the cup can be combined together.
Really Strong Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk
I love their collaboration with local company – Ca Phe. They are known for the Vietnamese inspired beverages and treats. The Vietnamese coffee is strong, but so damn good if you’re a coffee lover. I like to get it with condensed milk to smooth out the taste and give it a kick of sweetness. This is served hot, but I would have liked a cold version.
Reuse
What is very important to the owners to ensure there is as little waste as possible, which I admire a lot. They use compostable straws and cups. Diverting as much waste as possible helps our community. They also sell bamboo straws too that can be reused.
Cat Forest
Before entering the cat forest, you have to pause to take off your shoes, put on slippers, sanitize hands, and put away large bags before proceeding. They want to keep the place as safe and clean for humans and cats as possible.
The staff are really nice to interact as they are really knowledgeable about the cats and their personalities. That’s 40 cats that they need to know.
There are lots of tables inside to sit down, but a lot of people just wanted to hang out with the cats, so there was minimal drinking and chatting among guests as the star of the show are those cute cats.
You’re only allowed to bring in drinks from the cafe because they can ensure none of the ingredients in them will harm the cats just in case they get their paws on them. Sometimes cats are sneaky and will knock stuff off the tables.
On the table are diagrams of all the cats available for adoption as well as their names. They have quite a lot of options. Some are in the cat forest and some others are hiding in the back if they need a break from all the human interaction.
For the ones that want to play, there are lots of toys to interact with the cats. From feathers, to bells, to balls and even the popular cat laser, they will go nuts if they’re in the mood.
My friend doesn’t have any pets and was blown away by all the kitty love at Catoro Cafe. Such sweethearts especially Amber.
Some of the cats have absolutely amazing stories. Princeton was born without eyelids. When he was 6 months old, they did surgery on him to move some of this skin on this cheeks to create ‘eyebrows’. His is a very beautiful and adorable cat and I can’t stop thinking about the eyebrows. I hope he finds his forever home soon.
This cat doesn’t know whats about to happen hahaha. Always best to approach the cats slowly so they don’t freak out.
The staff don’t allow you to pick up the cats, but they can plop them in your arms. This is because they know which cats will tolerate being held. It’s quite nice since my cats at home will never be held or caressed because they just hate it.
Once your time is over, you can change out of the slippers and grab your things. They also have a lot of lint rollers too just in case a few cat hairs get on your pants. I actually found very very little cat hair on my pants, so the cats are well groomed and I’m impressed.
As a cat owner, my short haired cats shed on me like crazy. I probably need to groom them more often.
Final Thoughts
It’s definitely really busy at Catoro Cafe on the weekends, so make sure you make online reservations ahead of time. Weekdays are easier for walk ins if you want to spontaneously go hang out with some cats. They also have a bunch of different deals, so check out the website and social media to find out what they are.
Catoro Cafe is a great addition to Vancouver and super fun for kids and adults. I’m sure the cats have fun too. Of all the cat cafes I’ve been to in my travels, this is definitely very whimsical with the Totoro theme. Of course they can’t copy everything exactly because of copyright issues, but they do a good job.
Address:
666 East Broadway St, Vancouver, BC
Website:
https://catorocafe.com
