San Diego’s one and only Cat Cafe (Courtesy photo)
Pets, Gaslamp

Cats ‘n Coffee

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

As of late July, the Cat Cafe in the Gaslamp Quarter has been responsible for sending 680 cats to loving homes ever since it opened in 2015. Owned by cat aficionado Tony Wang, the cafe doubles as an adoption center and works in partnership with The Rescue House of San Diego.

Half of the space is a welcoming residence for the cats, which range in age and breed. The other half is a cafe that sells pastries from Bread & Cie and coffee and espresso drinks from Cafe Virtuoso. The two areas are separated by a glass window.

“We usually have seven or eight cats living here at any given time, with a maximum of 15,” said employee Adrian Castaneda. “They are all rescues.”

Cafe customers can savor their food and beverages while observing the furry inhabitants through the view window as the cats sleep and play among their fashionable furnishings. Or customers can pay $18 to actually enter the “cat room” for a one-hour interactive experience.

Extreme dander allergies? No problem. Wang has rigged the resident quarters with a 24/7 live web cam that allows people to monitor the cat activity from home. Note: Insomniacs viewing the place late at night will usually find an entertaining friend in the bunch.