Cats Diary Cafe

Kota Bharu, Kelantan · 78 mi / 125 km

Catfé Kota Bharu is an upstairs cat cafe on Jalan Hospital in Taman Kenangan, Kota Bharu, and bills itself as the first cat cafe in Kelantan. The cosy, air-conditioned space has a separate cat area where a group of friendly resident cats lounge, play and wait for attention, and visitors sanitise their hands before going in. There is no separate entry ticket: each guest orders at least one meal or one drink to join the cats. The kitchen serves western favourites such as chicken chop, grilled chicken and spaghetti, along with local dishes like nasi lemak, freshly brewed coffee, sparkling juices and other cold drinks, and the cafe describes itself as Muslim-friendly. It is a relaxed spot for lunch or dinner with a cat on the next chair, popular with students and families, and children are welcome.

Kuantan, Pahang · 108 mi / 173 km

Slow Bar by Kopicat is a small specialty coffee bar in an old wooden kampung-style house on Jalan Alor Akar in Taman Mayfair, Kuantan. Alongside the coffee it keeps a dedicated cat room, home to around five to seven resident cats including a large, friendly Maine Coon. Customers can step into the room to pet the cats, and bags of cat food are sold at the counter for feeding them. The baristas pull espresso by hand on manual Flair lever machines using seasonal specialty beans, and the menu also covers lattes, dirty lattes, matcha and strawberry matcha, chocolate and cookies. Seating is limited, with a few tables indoors and outside, and there is a car park. The same team runs Espresso Bar by Kopicat at the same address and Kopicat Express on Jalan Beserah, which have no cats.

Cameron Highlands, Pahang · 130 mi / 209 km

Cat House Cameron Highlands is a cat house attraction on Jalan Aranda Nova near Green Cow in Brinchang, one of the best-known stops for cat lovers in the highlands. Visitors pay a small entry fee at the restaurant counter by the entrance (around RM9 for adults at last report, with lower rates for children and seniors) and walk down a short flight of stairs into a spacious indoor play area fitted with props, scratch posts and rope bridges. Dozens of cats of many breeds, including long-haired, fluffy types, roam freely, and you can pet them, take photos and feed them with small packets of cat food sold at the counter for about RM1. A lint roller, soap and a sink are provided at the entrance. It is a family-friendly stop, busiest during weekends and school holidays.

Genting Highlands, Pahang · 164 mi / 263 km

Ragdoll Catfe Signature Genting is a cat cafe on the ground floor of Antharas Residence in Genting Permai, on the road up to Genting Highlands, and is a branch of the Ragdoll Catfe group known for its Kuala Lumpur cafes. The cool-climate cafe is decorated in soft pastel tones with cosy nooks, and around 30 cats share the dining space, from fluffy ragdolls to Bengals and other breeds, all used to people and happy to be petted. There is no entrance fee; guests order from the menu and can stay to play, and cat treats are offered so visitors can feed the cats. The menu covers handcrafted coffee, lattes and teas, signature desserts and light meals such as nasi lemak. It makes an easy, family-friendly stop for anyone staying in the Genting Permai hotels and residences.

Batu Caves, Selangor · 175 mi / 281 km

Angora Tales is a one-stop cat centre at Terminal Bersepadu Gombak (TBG), the bus terminal beside the Gombak LRT station, with a cat playground where visitors can spend time with its many resident cats. The cats are of various breeds, including Maine Coons and fluffy Angoras, and are known for being calm, well-behaved and playful with children. The playground is a clean, comfortable space where visitors, including children, can relax over ice cream and drinks while the cats come to play. Playground sessions can be booked by phone. Angora Tales also rehomes cats, so ask staff about cats looking for new homes. On site there is also cat grooming, boarding and a veterinary clinic, so many visitors play with the cats while their own cat is being groomed.

• Adoptable cats

Kuala Lumpur · 175 mi / 282 km

KucenStation is a cat grooming shop, cat hotel and mini cat cafe on the upper floor of a shoplot in Wangsa Melawati, Kuala Lumpur. The cafe side is a clean, nicely decorated lounge where a group of resident cats, from playful youngsters to sleepy older cats, roam around the guests. Visits are by booked time slot only, which keeps the room calm and gives everyone plenty of time with the cats, so message the cafe before coming. There is no admission fee, but each visitor needs to order a minimum of two drinks, and the coffee, including a popular vanilla latte, is made by a friendly barista. The cat area is cleaned after every mealtime. Alongside the cafe, the team also offers grooming (including lion cuts), cat boarding and kitten care, so it is a handy stop for local cat owners too.