Cat lover founds halfway house that serves both as cat cafe and shelter

Owning a cat is becoming more and more popular in Taiwan. Cats are now even more common pets than dogs. But the number of homeless and stray cats without owners is still very high. Taiwan’s shelters are running out of space. Today we meet a cat lover who has stepped up to help feline friends find new homes. He opened a halfway house that serves both as cat café and shelter. Visitors to the cafe can just have a cup of tea, or they can ponder if they might be up for adopting a new member of the family.

A tortoiseshell kitten squeezes its way into a slipper. Felines recline on these clouds and even wander along overpasses. This shelter for strays doubles as a cat cafe.

A waitress serves up drinks. The space is split in two: one half for cats to roam through, the other half for customers to dine in. Every one of the cafe’s 13 feline residents has a story.

Kittens sunbathe by the window. Some have come from as far away as the Matsu Islands, through volunteer vet clinics. Some have come from animal shelters. The cafe’s owner founded the business to give these kitties a warm place to call home.

Mr. Shih
Cat shelter cafe owner
We made six cat’s head decorations. He’s one that we originally adopted from the animal hospital, and in the end he left us because of illness, and we were very sad. We wanted to do something more for them apart from adopting them, so we decided to open this halfway-house cat cafe.

Mr. Shih, 37 years old, started the business in the memory of his furry friend. It’s a bridge between homeless cats and potential new families. He invested savings in opening two homes for cats, and borrowed millions of dollars – and he’s very clear that it’s all worth it.

Mr. Shih
Cat shelter cafe owner
The location is pretty good, after all, so the costs are quite high. A cafe like this is a bit of a niche thing, it’s not a mainstream consumer thing. So we wanted to be in Xinyi District to show people that we exist.

Although overheads are high, the café brings great visibility to the cats who live here. Within just two months of opening, Shih had found good owners for three of the cats in his care.

Member of public
It so happens that all the cats here are very obedient, and I think they’re all well looked after. If someone really wants to adopt them and has that interest, then I think it’s great.

Taiwan’s cat shelters are facing a saturation crisis. But cafes and other businesses like this one can ease the shortage, offering a few furry friends a very happy home.

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