Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands
De Poezenboot
De Poezenboot is a cat shelter on a houseboat on the Singel canal in central Amsterdam, a few minutes on foot from Centraal Station. Run by volunteers since 1966, it takes in stray and surrendered cats and rehomes them, and has become one of the city's best-known sights for cat lovers. The boat opens to visitors for two hours on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Entry is free and there is no booking: only about six people are allowed inside at a time, so a queue often forms before opening, visits are short, and latecomers may be turned away on busy days. Visitors meet free-roaming cats in a home-like room; picking them up is not allowed, and children must be accompanied by an adult. The boat is not wheelchair accessible. Adoptions are arranged by phone appointment, not during visiting hours, and donations and a small gift shop support the shelter.
Reviews
Cat Cafes Nearby
Kattencafé Kopjes
Amsterdam, Noord Holland1.7 mi / 2.7 km
Kattencafé Kopjes is a cat cafe on Marco Polostraat in De Baarsjes, Amsterdam West, near Rembrandtpark. Opened in April 2015 after a crowdfunding campaign, it was the first cat cafe in the Netherlands. About seven resident cats live here, selected from two Amsterdam shelters, Stichting Dierenleed and the Dierenopvangcentrum Amsterdam, and they are not up for adoption. The room is fitted out with climbing and sleeping spots for the cats. Guests pay a small entrance fee per person toward the cats' care and can stay for about an hour and a half; the room is small, so booking a slot online is strongly recommended. Visitors must be 12 or older, and payment is by card only. The menu covers coffee, tea, breakfast, light lunches and cakes. The cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Jippies Kattencafé
Haarlem, Noord Holland11 mi / 18 km
Jippies Kattencafé is a cat cafe and lunchroom on Keizerstraat in the Vijfhoek, the old centre of Haarlem. It opened on World Animal Day, 4 October 2017, after a crowdfunding campaign, and is set up like a large living room with cat furniture, cat books and puzzles. Six to seven resident cats live here, all adopted from Dutch shelters and a kitten rescue on Curaçao; they are not available for adoption. There is no entrance fee, but each guest orders at least one item per time slot of about an hour and a half, and tables can be booked online. Children are welcome from age 6, with a cap on how many are inside at once. Guests wash their hands on arrival and do not pick up, wake or feed the cats. The menu has breakfast, soups, sandwiches, cakes and high tea, with vegetarian and vegan options.
Kattencafé The Coffee Cat
Almere, Flevoland14 mi / 22 km
Kattencafé The Coffee Cat is a cat cafe on Brouwerstraat, by the canal in the centre of Almere-Stad, which describes itself as the largest cat cafe in the Netherlands. About 13 resident cats of various breeds, long- and short-haired, live here, among them Olaf, Pixie, Nala, Wasabi, Jet and Smokey. They have climbing poles, wall shelves, a cats' corner and a walkway along the ceiling, and toys are left out so guests can play with them; children can follow a search game to find all the cats. There is no entrance fee and no need to book, except for the high tea with unlimited tea and coffee, which is reserved at least a day ahead for groups of up to 12. The menu covers coffee, sandwiches, salads, panini and homemade cakes. The cafe opened in 2018 and has been under new owners since 2025. It is closed on Mondays.
DigiBeet en Katten Café
Alkmaar, Noord Holland19 mi / 30 km
DigiBeet en Katten Café is a cat cafe on Ritsevoort in the centre of Alkmaar. About ten resident cats, adopted from Greece, live here permanently and roam freely among the tables, with plenty of places to retreat; a booklet introduces each cat by name and character, and it is available in English, as is the menu. The cafe serves coffee, tea, homemade cakes, lunch dishes such as toasted sandwiches, and a high tea with the cats that is booked in advance. It also works as a 'digibeet' cafe, where older people and others who struggle with technology can get help with phones, tablets and computers, and as a day-activity workplace: staff and participants, partly through Stichting De Waerden, serve guests, cook and help care for the cats. It is open Wednesday to Saturday.
Cattuccino
Alphen Aan Den Rijn, Zuid Holland20 mi / 32 km
Cattuccino is a cat cafe on the Rijnkade quay in the centre of Alphen aan den Rijn, and the town's first. It presents itself as a coffee shop with cats rather than an attraction, serving coffee, homemade cakes, toasties and lunch while its resident cats Loes, Isley, Bodhi, Milo, Jack and the young Suzy decide for themselves when to join guests. Tables can be booked online, and walk-ins are seated when there is room; work spots can also be reserved. A small cat contribution is charged per person, with children up to two free, and children up to twelve must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two per adult. Guests may play with the cats but not pick them up or feed them. On Friday and Saturday evenings the cafe becomes CattuVino, a wine bar, and it also hosts pub quizzes and game nights.
- Booking recommended
CoffeeCats
The Hague, Zuid Holland33 mi / 54 km
CoffeeCats is a small cat cafe on Weimarstraat, a shopping street in the Segbroek district of The Hague. Six rehomed cats live there, Mimi, Saar, Jambo, Kay, Poekie and Meissie, and guests spend time with them over coffee, iced coffee, milkshakes, sandwiches, lunch and cakes. Visitors ring the bell to be let in, which keeps the cats from slipping out, and wash their hands before touching the cats; parents are expected to keep children calm. There is no separate entry fee, but the cafe is busy and booking is strongly advised, with a table only held once a confirmation arrives. Each booking carries a small deposit that goes to the cats' care if guests do not turn up without cancelling. Groups of more than four book by email or phone. A separate room can be hired for meetings or high teas, and the cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday.
- Booking recommended