If you’re a fan of felines – and a TikTok user – you’ve probably seen the cat cafés in faraway places like Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid. Did you know you don’t have to travel that far to partake? Arizona has its very own cat café nestled in downtown Phoenix!
PHX Cat Cafe is a nonprofit coffee shop and cat adoption lounge that opened in 2022. All the cats are adoptable, but owner Carrie Schwartz said that most people come just to hang out with the four-legged critters.
Most of the cats come from colonies that Carrie or her board members care for and are too friendly to be left outside. Around 25-30 cats roam freely around the building at any given time. There’s lots of vertical space, hiding places, and plenty of toys so people can interact with the cats. They also offer different seating options so visitors can be right next to a kitty or have one jump up and hang out in their lap.
“Many of our cats have ear tips to indicate they have been trapped, neutered and returned. We work with some other local rescues and will transfer from them,” Carrie said. “We are a rescue, so once the cats come into our care, they are our full responsibility.”
Carrie recommends making a reservation to visit since they limit the number of people in the lounge. Reservations are $18 per person for an hour, and that money goes directly into caring for the kitties. The café also limits the number of kids in the lounge throughout the day. Children under 13 require a reservation to visit.
PHX Cat Café is a full-service coffee shop that offers espresso drinks, drip coffee, teas, smoothies, Italian sodas and frappes. Grab-and-go food items like packaged chips, lemon loaves and cookies from local bakers are available for purchase.
“We developed most of the drink recipes ourselves and also do a monthly drink special that my baristas help to develop,” Carrie said. “We get our coffee beans and tea leaves from Passport Coffee in Scottsdale.”
If you’re at the café and fall in love with one of the furry friends, the adoption process works like this: The nonprofit requires all adults in the household to meet the cat before a $25 online application is submitted. After the application is reviewed, a phone or in-person interview and virtual home check are conducted.
“Assuming all goes well, we will schedule a time for them to pick up their new pet. Adoption fees range from $125-$350,” Carrie said. “We have had almost 300 cats adopted from our rescue since 2022.”
The café also hosts various events, such as yoga classes, trivia nights, bingo games, and meet-and-greets at businesses in Phoenix and Scottsdale. PHX Cat Cafe is located at 147 E. Garfield Street in Phoenix. For more information, visit phxcatcafe.org.
