Last Updated on 15 November 2023 by Vanessa
Ready to make your dream of opening a successful cat café, a reality?
Embarking on your own cat café adventure has never been as attainable as it is today. But you may still wonder how to get started, especially if you lack firsthand experience in such a venture.
Having personally explored over 20 cat cafés worldwide, I believed I had a solid grasp of the knowledge required to start one myself if I chose to. (In fact, I even toyed with the idea before cat cafés became a global trend—although it eventually evolved into the creation of Traveling Cats).
However, that perception changed after delving into Angeli Rodriguez’s book, Drinks & Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café. The reality of opening a cat café extends far beyond initial expectations, and Rodriguez’s comprehensive guide is the compass to navigate every step toward transforming your dream into reality.
The definitive guide to launching your own successful cat café
What is a cat café?
If you’ve stumbled upon this article by accident, you may not yet be familiar with the concept of a cat café.
These unique establishments seamlessly blend the charm of cats and the comfort of coffee to craft an incredibly soothing encounter. A place where one can grab delicious drinks and lounge while surrounded by happy, little felines waiting to be adopted.
Cat cafés originated in Taiwan and subsequently swept across Japan, igniting a global fascination with these enchanting havens of furry companionship.
As the trend gained momentum, it became evident that cat cafés weren’t merely places to sip coffee and pet cats; they evolved into thriving social spaces that offer respite from the bustle of urban life and provide a sanctuary for both humans and their feline friends.
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to visit a cat café in your neighborhood or while on vacation, or simply spent hours scrolling through snapshots of cat cafés on Traveling Cats, it’s likely you’ve found yourself captivated by this ingenious idea.
Maybe you’ve even wondered what it would take to open one of these adorable little businesses yourself.
The book Drinks & Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café was written by Angeli Rodriguez. Not only has Angeli opened a successful cat café herself – The Witty Whisker Cat Café in St. Augustine, Florida – she has done all the work and research to help YOU open your establishment as well. What started with a simple but inspiring visit to Crumbs & Whiskers in Washington, DC, has now become her life purpose.
In her book, Angeli takes you through her experience planning, opening, and operating this socially responsible business model. From your initial vision to your grand opening day, Drinks & Whiskers walks you through all the steps to take (and pitfalls to avoid) on your way to making your cat café dreams a reality.
In fact, his is the best guide to help you navigate this life-changing endeavor!
What can you expect to learn from Drinks & Whiskers?
“There was a lot of demand for the book. When we first opened, some of our customers were so delighted with the concept they would ask me specific questions about how to open up a business,” Angeli told me over email. “So after a year of answering the same questions, I decided to provide a resource for other people like me who wanted to open a cat cafe. Most people were just curious about how I did it, but I would say about 40% would say either they knew someone or they themselves wanted to pursue this same goal.”
As such, Drinks & Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café provides practical, step-by-step guidance, covering both the planning and operational aspects of opening a cat café. Some of the questions Angeli addresses are:
- How to choose a name for your cat café?
- How to choose the best place for a cat café?
- How to create your business plan?
- How much does opening a cat café cost?
- How to find angel investors, crowd sourcing, etc?
- Which licenses are needed to open a cat café, and where do you get them?
- Which business insurances do you need?
- How do cat cafes pass health inspections?
- How do cat cafés make money?
- How to design and decorate your cat café?
- How to come up with cat café menu ideas?
- How can you effectively market your cat café and attract customers?
- How to work with animal shelters and vendors?
- Which problems and challenges can you expect when you open your own cat café?
- How can you deal with doubts and setbacks?
- And lots more!
It’s important to note that legal and ethical considerations, as well as regulations like permissions and zoning laws, can significantly vary not only across countries but even among different states within the US. Nevertheless, the book does provide valuable insights to serve as a foundational guide, offering a general understanding of key factors to be vigilant about and contemplate, irrespective of specific regional disparities.
Is Drinks & Whiskers suitable for someone who wants to open a ‘normal’ café without cats?
Much of the valuable information found within the book is broadly applicable to a range of businesses, with a notable focus on cafés and restaurants.
What will resonate with most budding entrepreneurs is the chapter dedicated to cultivating the appropriate entrepreneurial mindset. It’s a facet I, personally, underestimated for a long time—but that is nonetheless indispensable for cultivating enduring success. In this context, Angeli offers pragmatic guidance on addressing doubts and uncertainties, imbibing wisdom from the motivational works of figures like Jen Sincero, Marie Forleo, and Gabrielle Bernstein.
Can you read Drinks & Whiskers even when you don’t want to open your own business?
Absolutely. I very much enjoyed this book, even though I currently have no plans of opening a cat café myself. What truly resonated with me was the book’s ability to immerse me in a wealth of background knowledge concerning the intricate process of establishing one’s own cat café. There’s so much more to it than you’d think, and it deepened my admiration for those courageous enough to embark on this journey.
Although primarily a pragmatic guide, Drinks & Whiskers also weaves in a personal narrative. At its core, it’s the true story about a woman who turned her dream of opening a cat café into a reality, despite all the odds. And who doesn’t like a success story like that?
How much time is needed to read the book?
I managed to breeze through Drinks & Whiskers during a train ride lasting approximately two and a half hours—a journey that, interestingly, led me to a cat café in Dordrecht in the Netherlands.
Naturally, if your aim is to absorb the content more comprehensively, making notes and thoroughly studying the information, you’ll want to allocate more time for the endeavor.
Final thoughts on Drinks & Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café
If opening your own (cat) café is on your radar, you NEED Angeli’s book. Drinks & Whiskers serves as an unwavering companion, expertly steering you through each pivotal stage, ensuring no aspect is overlooked in your journey toward transforming your vision into a tangible reality.
Spoiler alert: It is totally possible to turn this into a successful business venture!
For those of us who find ourselves enchanted by cat cafés, this book is bound to strike a chord. It adds an extra layer of appreciation to your forthcoming cat café visits. While primarily a pragmatic guide, it doubles as a personal narrative, recounting the tale of a woman who defied all odds to manifest her dream of launching a cat café. Aren’t these the stories that captivate us the most?
Drinks & Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café is currently available in paperback format and on Kindle.
Many thanks to Angeli Rodriguez for providing me with a copy of the book for review.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, why not share it with your fellow cat enthusiasts and on social media? Your support can play a significant role in spreading the word about this helpful book. Let’s make feline dreams come true!
Some of my favorite cat cafés:
- De Spinnerij in Tilburg, Netherlands
- Café Schnurrke in Cologne, Germany
- Chez Miss Miaouw in Namur, Belgium
- MangaKat in Brussels, Belgium
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4 responses
This is brilliant! What a cool idea; I could already see the look on the face of my 15 years old cat James when walking in a cat cafe 🙂
Fascinating. I was surprised to find that there are a few in UK.
What a great idea for a book! It sounds like a fabulous read whether you want to own a business or not.
Thank you for joining Feline Friday!
I also want to open a cat cafe but I think I have to study economy then and I don’t like that