For cat lovers across Seattle, the Meowtropolitan cafe, modeled after the litany of famous cat cafes in Japan, serves as a way to spend time with up to 25 feline companions and enjoy a fresh drink.

Located in Wallingford, the cafe allows visitors to pay for 50-minute sessions with the cats. Drinks can be ordered from the coffee bar outside of the cat lounge, and drinks from said bar can be brought in and enjoyed inside with the cats.

Getting into the lounge requires passing a miniature “airlock” that ensures that none of the cats can escape and potentially put themselves in harm’s way. Once in, visitors can sit at a variety of tables and benches situated around the perimeter of the room.

A central play structure in the center of the room serves as the main attraction, housing many of the cats. It has bridges, tunnels, nooks and crannies that house most of the cats. The room is also lined with various decor and items for the animals, like various toys and little chairs that the cats can sit in.

All the cats are very friendly, and quite willing to play and interact with visitors. The establishment normally has between 18 and 25 cats at any given time. Many of the cats are permanent mainstays, but there are also often a few that are available for adoption.

Rya Phillips, a barista and shift supervisor at the Meowtropolitan, shared that the adoption process is designed to be easy and uncomplicated, while maintaining stress-free and healthy for all the cats.

“It’s pretty straightforward. We have a pretty long adoption process, just because we’re not an adoption center, so we like to take it slow, and make sure we’re not stressing any cats out… We don’t want to keep them their whole lives. With a couple exceptions, other than that, most of our cats get adopted out after about a year, or whenever they start fights,” Phillips said.

While adoptions aren’t super common, visitors often form special attachments to certain cats.

When asked about her personal favorite, Ruby Nielsen, a visitor of the cafe, said, “I like Happy, even though he was a bit of a jerk. I also liked Dewey, the big chunky cat”.

Ellie Marshall, a first-year psychology major at Seattle U who visited the cat cafe, also spoke highly of her experience. She stressed that being able to go and play with the cats was not only fun but also helped her from missing her cats at home, as students cannot have animals in the dorm.

“They had these two little kittens, one was a black, and the other one was a Russian blue, and they reminded me of my cats and made me really happy,” Marshall reminisced, adding, “If I had the chance to go again, I would say yes, 10 out of 10 times.”

Many of the Meowtropolitan’s visitors come just once, as a novelty experience. The cafe advertises itself as a fun experience for people in Seattle to give a try. 

“We went viral on TikTok recently, and we even had an ad on Alaska Airlines on their little TVs,” Phillips shared.

The cafe, in addition to social media marketing, also benefits from word of mouth recommendations from people that enjoyed their experience. For example, when asked if she might go again, Nielsen was emphatic.

“I definitely want to bring my mom or my friends here. I’d have them meet the cats I like, and to see if I can coerce my mom into an adoption,” Nielsen said.

Their 50-minute sessions, which are their most popular, are reasonably priced at $19, excluding any additional costs of drinks purchased during the visits. They also offer a variety of other experiences, including private sessions, cat yoga, and seasonal events (like writing ‘Meowlentines’ cards with the cats).

In addition to one-time visits, the Meowtropolitan offers yearly memberships for unlimited access to the cat lounge and a 10% discount on drinks and snacks purchased at the bar, along with 25% off of private reservations and 50% off special events. Their single membership, called the “9 Lives Pass,” is available for $99 yearly. They also offer a family pass for two adults and up to two children for $215.

The Meowtropolitan is a wholesome experience that is sure not to disappoint. It can be a spot to relax, get work done, enjoy a drink or even a cute date, all while allowing you to support a Seattle small business.

More information, and the link to book a visit for yourself, can be found at https://www.seameow.com.