Brooklyn Cat Cafe

New York · 1.5 mi / 2.4 km

Meow ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌⁠Parlour is New York City's first cat cafe, opened in December 2014 and now at 43 Essex Street on the Lower East Side, between Grand and Hester Streets, near the F, M, J and B subway lines. Visitors book timed sessions in a cat space designed so the cats can interact with guests on their own terms. More than 20 cats usually live there, and all are adoptable through Meow Parlour Cats, the cafe's own nonprofit and a New York State licensed rescue. Drinks and cat-decorated baked goods from its sister company Macaron Parlour are sold when the cafe counter is open. Reservations are strongly recommended and open two months ahead, as walk-in space is limited. Children under 9 may only visit during special family time slots, guests under 18 need an adult, and groups larger than six must book a private event.

• Adoptable cats

Flushing, New York · 10 mi / 15 km

Kokoro ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌⁠Cat Café is a Japanese-inspired cat cafe on the ground floor of the Tangram mall in downtown Flushing, Queens, by the College Point Boulevard entrance and a few blocks from the Flushing-Main Street 7 train. It opened in 2025 as Queens' first cat cafe. Visitors book 40-minute sessions in a quiet cattery, in groups of no more than 15 guests. The 10 to 12 cats come from Anjellicle Cats Rescue, a no-kill rescue, and all are adoptable through the rescue's application. The cafe sells Japanese drinks such as matcha, and an optional package adds a drink, a cat-shaped treat and an instant photo. Walk-ins join the next open time slot, but booking ahead is recommended. Children under 8 are not admitted, under-12s need an adult, and all guests sign a waiver. The cafe also hosts cat yoga, Paint & Purr and private events.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Bayside, New York · 12 mi / 20 km

Espurresso ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌⁠Cat Cafe is a cat cafe on 35th Avenue in Bayside, Queens, a few blocks from the Bell Boulevard shops and the Bayside LIRR station. It opened in spring 2025 with a bright cafe at the front and a separate cat lounge where more than ten adoptable rescue cats live, along with the owner's own cats, who act as cafe 'managers'. The cats come from the rescues Purrific Home and For Animals Inc. Visitors book timed sessions online or by phone, and walk-ins are limited, especially at weekends. Guests of all ages are welcome, but children under 14 must stay with an adult, and some sensitive cats wear collars so visitors know to give them space. The cafe serves specialty-grade For Five coffee, flavored lattes and teas with Hong Kong-style egg waffles, crepes and cakes, and hosts birthday parties and private events.

• Adoptable cats

Montclair, New Jersey · 14 mi / 23 km

Catfé ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​⁠Montclair is a cat lounge and adoption space on Bloomfield Avenue in downtown Montclair, Essex County, in a second-floor walk-up suite. It opened in January 2024 and works with the rescue Homeless Tails, whose cats come largely from the streets of Newark, Irvington and East Orange and live in the lounge while they wait for adopters. It is not a full cafe: admission includes a drink from a self-serve station with coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Reservations are required to guarantee entry, and same-day bookings are final. Shoes come off and clean socks are required, with cat socks for sale. Guests are asked not to wake or pick up the cats and to keep voices low. Children 7 and older are welcome, with monthly Family Cat Time sessions for ages 5 and up. Events include cat yoga, bingo, sound baths and paint nights.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking required

Rahway, New Jersey · 16 mi / 25 km

Rahway ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌⁠Kitty Hall is a small cat lounge on West Main Street in downtown Rahway, Union County, next to the Union County Performing Arts Center and a short walk from Rahway station on NJ Transit. It opened in 2017 as one of New Jersey's first cat cafes and is currently open on weekends only. The adoptable cats and kittens come from the rescue Angel Paws and live in a home-like room with couches, where visitors can relax with a cat on their lap, read or have a cup of tea or coffee. The lounge encourages people thinking of adopting to visit several times to get to know a particular cat, and adoptions go through an approval process. Visits are paid by the hour and booked online, with staff keeping a close eye on how guests handle the cats and sometimes handing out treats for visitors to give them.

• Adoptable cats

Westwood, New Jersey · 20 mi / 32 km

C.A.T.S. ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌⁠Resale/Thrift Shop is a charity thrift store on Kinderkamack Road in Westwood, Bergen County, run by Caring About The Strays, a nonprofit cat rescue that has served the area for about 30 years. Adoptable rescue cats live in the shop, and several of them wander freely among the shelves of donated jewelry, art, home goods, small furniture and designer-label clothing, while others are kept in enclosures behind the counter. Visitors can browse, meet and pet the cats at no charge, and many come mainly for the cats. All cats are adoptable, and adoptions include spaying or neutering, vaccinations and a microchip. Sales and donations fund the rescue's care for stray, abandoned, sick and surrendered cats. It is a shop rather than a cat cafe: there is no lounge fee, no seating area and no food or drink, and the store is small.

• Adoptable cats