Designed from a cat’s perspective – Taichung café features a dedicated playroom and sky catwalk

▲ Taichung’s “Here There Are Cats” café is cozy, with numerous cat-themed decorations around the space. (Photo / Reporter Li Wei)

Reporter Li Wei / Taichung report

Pet-friendly restaurants where humans and animals can interact together are becoming more common, but a light meal café in Taichung called “Here There Are Cats” is quite unique. Not only do the resident cats keep diners company, but the entire interior is designed almost entirely from a cat’s point of view. It includes dedicated perches, a playroom, and even a “sky catwalk” near the windows—giving the feline friends their own “private cat space” to relax when they’re tired.

The café’s owner, Jiu Ban, studied fashion design originally. Wanting to work in food and already being a cat owner, she came up with the idea of opening a pet café. Though she had zero experience in the food and beverage industry, she spent nearly a year working part-time jobs and self-teaching until she mastered using the coffee machine, learned latte art, and how to prepare meals. She and her mother opened the café last October.

▲ The café’s “cat staff” all have unique backstories,and after being adopted by owner Jiu Ban and her mother, they are now healthy and adorable. (Photo / Reporter Li Wei)

The entire café is designed primarily with cats in mind. In addition to a dedicated playroom equipped with perches and a running wheel, there’s also a “sky catwalk” near the windows. Even though the café gets crowded with weekend visitors, the cat play area remains untouched—never converted into customer seating. Jiu Ban says, “This is our principle—we want the cats to have their own space to play. When they don’t want to be disturbed, they can retreat to the catwalk, where humans can’t go.”

Aside from the spatial layout catering to felines, many small details in the café also consider their needs. For example, customers must change into slippers upon entering and disinfect their hands with alcohol. Jiu Ban explains that these practices were inspired by Japan, where there are many cat and dog cafés, and some even require hand and foot washing before entry. However, they found that difficult to implement, so they adopted this current method, which still protects the cats and helps prevent illness.

▲ The café’s second-floor playroom remains untouched despite weekend crowds, as the owner and her mother are determined not to remove this cat-only zone. (Photo / Reporter Li Wei)

▲ Looking down from the second floor inside the café, a catwalk runs along the window—off-limits to humans, where cats can enjoy completely “private cat time.” (Right photo / Reporter Li Wei, Left photo / Provided by Here There Are Cats)

Customer hygiene is a concern, and interaction with the cats is another important aspect that Jiu Ban pays close attention to. Every café table has a handwritten sign by Jiu Ban’s sister, reminding guests of cat interaction etiquette—such as not picking up the cats or feeding them improperly.

Jiu Ban says, “At the time, I argued with my mother for a long time over this sign. My mother thought that since customers come to the café to interact with the cats, there shouldn’t be so many restrictions. But once, one of our kittens was picked up and thrown to the ground by a 3-year-old child, almost dying—with its tongue sticking out. We immediately closed the shop and took it for treatment, managing to save its life. Ever since then, we made up our minds to put up the signs and stop guests who act rudely toward the cats.”

From opening until now, it’s been over eight months, and over time, a balance has gradually been reached between the ideas of the cats, the guests, and the café owners. Jiu Ban also says, “We hope that through this space, people who haven’t interacted with cats before can get to know them better, and families can have opportunities for life education—promoting the idea of adoption over purchase.”

▲ Every table features this etiquette sign, reminding guests of what to pay attention to when interacting with the cats. (Photo / Reporter Li Wei)

▲ Here, your water is the cat’s water, and your seat is naturally the cat’s seat too. (Photo / Reporter Li Wei)

【Here There Are Cats Light Meal Café】
Business hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Phone: (04)2471-2846
Address: No. 112, Section 1, Xiangshang South Road, West District, Taichung City
Map:＊