Photography by Getty Images unless noted

Ordinary coffee shops invite you in for a warm beverage and offer a comforting setting to read, converse, or enjoy entertainment like live music.

But there are a series of locales littered throughout the nation that up the charm and cute quotient to another level: cat cafés. These spots invite you to relax beside a feline companion and try their alluring approach to the lounge lifestyle—and, once the caffeine hits, you can play alongside the active kitties as you both fall prey to sudden “zoomie” energy.

But such cafés are more than just recreational, even if the leisurely calico purring on your lap may disagree. They welcome you to play with adoptable pets in the hope that you fall helplessly in love with one and give them a forever home. Stir in this humanitarian (cat-itarian?) appeal with delicious beverages and an irresistibly pleasant atmosphere, and you have a heartwarming combination that you may find addictive after just one visit. If you have yet to see the allure of a cat café, consider a stop at one of these welcoming places.

The Cat Café San Diego, CA

As trendy Southern California’s first feline lounge, the Cat Café welcomes visitors to enjoy its award-winning, locally sourced food and drinks and consort with ten to twelve adoptable cats. The charming lounge offers comfortable seating nestled among cat trees, agility tunnels, wall-mounted alcoves, and other niches where acrobatic kitties caper about.

As you enter, be sure to introduce yourself to the café’s famous permanent residents, fourteen-year-old Jacey and twelve-year-old Leo. These Bengal cats have grown accustomed to socializing with a rotating crowd of cat and human companions. “Visitors who return to see us are always happy to see these two,” says café general manager Tony Wang. But this refuge and its Bengals happily welcome first-time patrons too. “Many of our out-of-town visitors, despite having a cat café where they live, never stopped into one until they visited us,” Wang states. Reservations are required, so be sure to book tickets well in advance—space is limited, and seats fill up quickly.

For more info, visit catcafesd.com

Purrfecto Cat Lounge Austin, TX

A self-proclaimed “five-star luxury hotel for rescue cats,” Perrfecto was founded in July 2022 to not only fill the gap left by overcapacity animal shelters but also resolve the sheer lack of kitty cafés in its community. By combining a relaxing ambience, a selection of beverages by Irie Bean Coffee, and a straightforward rescue-adoption process, Purrfecto Cat Lounge immediately made an impact: in just two years in business, it has proudly helped five hundred cats find forever homes and currently averages one adoption per day. Locals and tourists alike have fallen for the uncontained cuteness of its temporary residents, which include felines of various breeds, ages, and sizes.

Recline in the luxe, white-and-lavender atmosphere as you await a curious visitor to curl up by your seat (as the café counsels, “The cat chooses you, and you choose them. It’s like speed dating for cats.”), or partake in café events such as “Paws and Paintbrushes” craft sessions. Even the cat-contrary or feline-phobic could find something here to adore. As café owner Lupita Adams says, “We challenge you to leave here unchanged!” Keep an eye out for their new San Antonio location too.

For more info, visit purrfectocatlounge.com

Crumbs & Whiskers Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, CA

In DC’s youthful Georgetown neighborhood sits a capital for all things cat. Crumbs & Whiskers is a popular institution not only for its friendly felines hopping from shelf to shelf but also for its chic underground setting featuring elegant faux-fur seats and a vertical garden. (How it manages to maintain this decor with so many cats around is a mystery.)

Guests who wish to become part of the excitement are encouraged to lie back on the cozy play-area rugs, where cats may leap across them or curiously survey them from the zigzagging perches just above. And, should you fall in love with a kitty, Crumbs & Whiskers has a streamlined adoption process so you can apply to take home your perfect playmate.

Before you visit, check out the café’s “Cat of the Week” post online to learn more about a special resident’s history, breed, age, and behavioral quirks. (Capitano, for one, has a habit of yelling at employees to get their attention.) West Coast cat lovers are also encouraged to visit Crumbs & Whiskers’ Los Angeles location, which has become something of a stomping ground for both cats and celebrities. Due to the hype, though, tickets may sell out well in advance.

For more info, visit crumbsandwhiskers.com

The Catcade Chicago, IL

This café, rescue, arcade, and lounge seamlessly combines two of the most invigorating activities known to humankind: playing classic games and playing with cats. In its sleek and stylish amusement space, colorful felines stand out like moving decor as they hop across gaming machinery. With so much stimulation, guests are encouraged to embrace the feline spirit and just do as they please. “Bring your laptop to do a little work on our free Wi-Fi, sign up for our cat yoga sessions, or just sit around with a cat on your lap and play free-play arcade games,” the Catcade says on its website. As the wall art reminds us, “Time spent with cats is never wasted.”

This nonprofit’s mission is to provide a more relaxing, comfortable, and attentive alternative to resource-strapped animal shelters, and it has successfully operated as a recreational rescue program for hundreds of cats. Shop owners Chris Gutierrez and Shelly Casey encourage customers to pop by the playpen regularly to bond with the temporary occupants, but don’t be surprised if each encounter with a resident is your only one; cats average only thirty-nine days at the Catcade before being taken in by new owners.

For more info, visit thecatcade.org

Each of the preceding cafés, as well as shops near your own town, may tempt you in for several reasons, whether you’re looking for an adoptable companion or simply want to while away the day with some of nature’s greatest experts at rest and relaxation. Curl up with your beverage of choice, soak up the purring populace at play, snap photos of their irresistible cuteness, and marvel at their complex personalities that waver between secretive solitude and loving affection for human companions. If you’re planning your first visit, be prepared to pencil in a regular return one; your first patronage probably won’t be your last.