Darlington, Durham, England
The Cats' Den Coffee House
The Cats' Den Coffee House is Darlington's first cat cafe, opened in autumn 2025 on High Northgate, just north of the town centre. It is run by its owners with their own group of eight cats, including a Maine Coon, who play and nap among cat trees, beds and toys next to the cafe seating. Visits are booked online with a small deposit and the rest of the entry fee paid on arrival, and there is a reduced rate for over-65s on Wednesdays. Children under six are not admitted. Guests wear shoe covers and sanitise their hands before going in, the cats must not be picked up or woken, and visitors may only give the treats provided by the cafe. The menu is kept simple, with coffee, tea, soft drinks, sandwiches, muffins and prepacked snacks. The cafe opens Wednesday to Sunday.
Before you go
- Booking
- Booking required
- Entry
- Entry or time fee
- Children
- Minimum age for children
Based on the cafe's website and visitor reviews, checked October 2026. Policies change, so confirm with the cafe before you visit.
Reviews
Cat Cafes Nearby
The Pawsome Cat Cafe
Durham17 mi / 27 km
The Pawsome Cat Cafe is a cat cafe on North Road in Durham city centre, a few minutes' walk downhill from Durham station towards Framwellgate Bridge and the old city. It is home to resident cats and to rescue cats the cafe fosters until they are rehomed. Visits are booked as one-hour slots, with an entry fee that pays for vet bills, food and the cats' play areas; a small deposit is paid when booking online and the rest at the cafe, and walk-ins are taken when there is space. Children under six are not admitted and every two children need an adult. Shoes are removed at the door, so visitors are advised to bring socks, and washable slippers are available. The cafe serves hot drinks, including white hot chocolate, along with cakes and light snacks. It opens Wednesday to Sunday.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking required
CatPawCino
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne And Wear30 mi / 49 km
CatPawCino is a garden-themed cat cafe on Newcastle's Quayside, looking out over the River Tyne. It opened in 2015. Its eight permanent residents were raised from kittens by the owner and include Ragdolls, a Birman, Scottish Folds, a British Shorthair and an Exotic Shorthair, and they share the ground-floor cat lounge with rescue cats fostered for Friendz Feline that are rehomed from the cafe. Visitors pay an entry fee for up to an hour at a table, with extra hours charged at the same rate, and booking online with a small deposit is recommended. Children shorter than 120 cm are not admitted and each adult may bring up to two children. Hands are sanitised on entry, and visitors must not feed the cats or use flash. The menu has toasties, scones, cakes, hot chocolate and iced teas, and a cat-free basement holds more seating and a shop.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking recommended
You Meow
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne And Wear30 mi / 49 km
You Meow is a cat cafe on Bath Lane on the western edge of Newcastle city centre, near Westgate Road and Chinatown. Spread over two floors, it is home to a large group of around 16 to 17 cats of many breeds, including Siamese, Maine Coon, Sphynx, British Shorthair and Savannah, and the cats have a quiet room downstairs that visitors cannot enter. Visits are one-hour slots booked online, and walk-ins are accepted when there is room. The entry fee includes a hot or soft drink, biscuits, a fortune cookie and a tub of treats to feed the cats; no other food is served. Children of all ages are welcome with at least one adult for every two children under 11, and carers of disabled visitors enter free. The cats must not be picked up and flash photography is not allowed. The cafe opens every day.
- Booking required
Bad Cat Café & Rescue
Wallsend, Tyne And Wear32 mi / 51 km
Bad Cat Café & Rescue is a small volunteer-run cat cafe and rescue on High Street East in Wallsend, North Tyneside. All of its cats are rescues, often older cats or cats with special needs such as blindness or deafness that tend to be overlooked in shelters, and every cat is available for adoption as an indoor cat after the rescue's vetting process. The cafe passed its 200th adoption in 2026. Visits are by appointment only, booked through the cafe's Facebook page, with a modest admission fee and free entry for children under four. Quiet sessions for people with autism, sensory needs or learning difficulties run on Saturday afternoons. The menu is simple, with hot drinks, cakes and brownies, and afternoon teas, including children's versions, can be booked with admission included. The rescue also offers cat sitting to raise funds and looks for long-term foster homes.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking required
The Cat's Whiskers
York44 mi / 70 km
The Cat's Whiskers is York's only cat cafe, set in a Grade II listed building on Goodramgate in the city centre, with views towards York Minster and about 15 minutes on foot from York station. Opened in 2019, it is home to a group of rescue cats that live at the cafe permanently. Some come from the Cat Rescue and Welfare Trust near York and Animal Care in Lancaster, and others were surrendered or struggled to find homes elsewhere. The cats roam freely over two floors, and the ground floor is step-free. Visits are one-hour slots with an entry fee that goes towards the cats' care, booked online in advance, with walk-ins only when there is space. Children under 10 are not admitted and under-14s must be supervised. The menu covers hot and cold drinks and cakes from The White Cherry Bakery in Pocklington, with vegan and gluten-free options.
- Booking recommended
Bradford Cat Watch Rescue & Sanctuary
Bradford, West Yorkshire50 mi / 81 km
Bradford Cat Watch Rescue & Sanctuary is a volunteer-run cat rescue in the north of Bradford that takes in abandoned, injured and surrendered cats and kittens, including many with medical or special needs, and rehomes them across the area. Cats that cannot be rehomed stay on at its sanctuary. Every Sunday afternoon the rescue opens its Woodland Sanctuary Lounge to the public for an informal visit, when anyone can drop in to meet some of the cats and the volunteers, take a tour and have light refreshments. Visitors do not need to be planning to adopt, though groups can book ahead by email. The rescue sometimes closes on a given Sunday, so it is worth checking its social media before travelling. Adoption is arranged through an application on the rescue's website, and all adopted cats are microchipped and neutered or come with a plan to neuter.
- Adoptable cats