Beans & Whiskers

Branson, Missouri · 28 mi / 45 km

Mochas and Meows is a cat cafe on Falls Parkway in Branson, a short drive from the Highway 76 entertainment strip, and was Southwest Missouri's first permanent cat cafe. The cafe serves espresso drinks, teas, real fruit smoothies and light food such as paninis, and visitors can watch the cats through a 12-foot viewing window for free. For hands-on time, guests book a timed session of 30 minutes or an hour in a cat lounge of more than 2,200 square feet, where the cats live cage-free with climbing walls and plenty of toys. All the lounge cats are adoptable through the Branson Humane Society, and staff guide visitors through the adoption process. The cafe also runs cat yoga classes and a feeding experience in which guests help serve the rescue cats their dinner. It is popular with families visiting Branson.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required

Fayetteville, Arkansas · 58 mi / 94 km

The Smitten Kitten NWA is a nonprofit cat cafe on West Sycamore Street in north Fayetteville, a short drive from the University of Arkansas, and calls itself a cat cafe for the underdogs. Its cats are adoptable felines from local rescues and shelters that are often overlooked, such as shy cats, seniors and cats with quirks or special needs. Unlike most cat cafes, one entry fee covers unlimited time during opening hours and includes free coffee and tea; sodas and water are sold, and outside food and drink are welcome. Visitors must be at least 6 years old. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. All cats are fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and tested, and adoption applications are reviewed by each cat's original shelter or rescue. The cafe grew out of the former Purr Catfe in Fayetteville and also holds occasional events such as holiday craft days.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Springfield, Missouri · 68 mi / 109 km

Casita de Miau is a cat lounge and small boutique in downtown Springfield, Missouri, in the Shoppes at College Station on South Market Avenue. Opened in August 2026 by a local couple as the city's first cat lounge, it houses adoptable cats from the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri in a bright room with climbing structures, hideaways and plenty of toys. Visits are booked as timed sessions of 30 minutes or an hour, with lower rates for children aged 3 to 13, and there is also a longer study session for those who want to work or read among the cats. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult with their own session, and the number of guests at a time is limited. Adoptions are arranged with the humane society. The lounge hosts weekly cat yoga, painting nights and other events, and sells local goods.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required

Conway, Arkansas · 88 mi / 142 km

Gibson's Cat Café is a coffee shop and kitty lounge on Dave Ward Drive in west Conway, in central Arkansas. The coffee bar serves craft drinks made with locally roasted beans and light bites, and the adjoining lounge has couches, books and plenty of cat furniture. All the lounge cats are adoptable and come from local shelters and rescue partners such as Community Cats of Central Arkansas and the Conway Animal Welfare Unit. Visitors buy a lounge pass for 15, 30 or 60 minutes or a full day with come-and-go access, and each pass includes a cup of drip coffee. Children aged 3 and under enter free, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by someone 16 or older. The cafe is named after the owners' cat Gibson and hosts regular events such as kitty yoga and themed trivia nights. It also offers memberships and welcomes volunteers.

• Adoptable cats

Pittsburg, Kansas · 119 mi / 192 km

The Literary Cat Co. is an independent bookstore and cat lounge on North Broadway in downtown Pittsburg, in southeast Kansas. It works like a regular bookshop, with a curated selection of new books, special orders, gifts from small makers, and coffee or tea to drink in comfortable reading chairs, but it is also a foster home for up to 10 adoptable cats who live and roam freely in the store. The cats come fully vetted from SEK Animal Advocates, a local foster-based rescue and spay and neuter group, and visitors can apply to adopt them. There is no separate cat room and no entry fee, although donations toward the cats' care are welcome. A few resident cats live there too. The shop can be reserved for birthday parties, bridal showers and other events, and it runs book registries for special occasions.

• Adoptable cats

Paragould, Arkansas · 148 mi / 239 km

Something Pawsitive is a cat lounge on South Pruett Street in downtown Paragould, in northeast Arkansas, attached to Something Sweet, a bakery run by the same owner. Opened in February 2021, it houses adoptable cats from Ozzie's Legacy, a local rescue, and every cat in the lounge can be adopted; hundreds have gone home since the opening. Visitors check in at the bakery first and then pay for cat time by the 15 minutes, half hour or hour, with the longer sessions earning a discount on food and drinks from Something Sweet. Walk-ins are accepted but may have to wait when the lounge is full and are guaranteed only 30 minutes, so booking a day ahead is recommended, especially on Saturdays. Donations of time, supplies or money help care for the cats, and gift cards cover the lounge, the bakery and its sister eatery.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended