Springfield, Illinois, United States
The Cats' Pyjamas Cat Café
The Cats' Pyjamas is a cat cafe in a house on East Capitol Avenue in downtown Springfield, a few blocks east of the Illinois State Capitol. Adoptable cats from the Animal Protective League roam several rooms of the home-like space, so visitors and cats can spread out, and staff introduce each cat. Visits are charged by the half hour or hour and are best booked in advance; walk-ins are taken when space allows, mainly at weekends. Locally brewed coffee and treats from community partners are available, everyone reviews the waiver and house rules before entering, and the cafe sells merchandise. Adoptions are arranged through the Animal Protective League. The space can be rented for events, and the cafe hosts occasional evenings such as live music with the cats.
Before you go
- Booking
- Booking recommended
- Entry
- Entry or time fee
- Food & drink
- Drinks and snacks
- Adoption
- Cats available for adoption
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
TAiLS of a Bookworm
Pekin, Illinois52 mi / 84 km
TAiLS of a Bookworm is a nonprofit bookstore and gift shop on Court Street in Pekin, just south of Peoria, that raises money for local animal shelters and rescues. Alongside new and used books, with a focus on local authors, stickers, gifts and a decorative book wall for photos, it has three small adoption rooms where visitors can spend time with adoptable kittens and cats from area shelters. The rooms are not always occupied, since cats are only placed there when a shelter needs the space. The shop's resident cat, Noah, greets customers and often sits by the register. Entry to the shop is free, and adoptions are arranged with the partner shelters.
- Adoptable cats
The Cat's Meow Cafe
Normal, Illinois62 mi / 99 km
The Cat's Meow Cafe is a coffee shop and cat lounge that was Bloomington-Normal's first cat cafe and has moved from Hershey Road in Bloomington to a larger space on Landmark Drive in Normal. The cafe serves espresso drinks, seasonal lattes, teas, lemonades, breakfast, soups and pastries, and visitors can take food and drinks into the lounge. The cat lounge is home to a large group of adoptable cats, often 30 or more, from the rescue Pet Central Helps, each with a card describing its personality. Entry to the lounge is charged by the hour, with a discount for visitors who buy something at the counter, and sessions can be booked online. Adoptions are arranged with Pet Central Helps, which has rehomed hundreds of cats through the cafe.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking recommended
River Kitty Cafe
Peoria, Illinois64 mi / 103 km
River Kitty Cafe is a coffee shop and cat lounge on North University Street in Peoria, the city's first full-time cat cafe, opened in March 2024 in a former loan office. The cafe serves coffee, tea and treats, and a separate cat lounge holds adoptable cats from Peoria County Animal Protection Services, all vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped. Visitors book 30 or 60 minute lounge sessions online, with cheaper hour-long sessions on weekday mornings, and walk-ins are taken when space allows. Hundreds of cats have been adopted through the cafe. The calendar includes kitten yoga, crochet sessions with the cats and a quiet reading club, and the cafe offers memberships and private parties.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking recommended
MeowTown
Alton, Illinois67 mi / 108 km
MeowTown is a nonprofit cat cafe on West Elm Street in Alton, Illinois, a river town in the Metro East area of Greater St. Louis. Opened in December 2023 by Kristine and Marc Ressler and their daughter Lily, it was Alton's first cat cafe. The cats come from the Metro East Humane Society in Edwardsville and Highland, and all are available for adoption. Visitors book a 50-minute session in the cat lounge, starting on the hour, or walk in if there is room; the lounge is for ages 6 and up, and the last session of the day starts at 6 pm. All proceeds go to the cats' care. The front of the cafe sells cookies baked in house, drinks and cat-themed gifts, and party packages are available. Parking is in the lot across the street. Hours can change around holidays, so it is worth checking before a visit.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking recommended
The Scratching Post
Champaign, Illinois78 mi / 125 km
The Scratching Post is a cat lounge and board game cafe on East University Avenue in downtown Champaign. Its cat lounge, almost 1,000 square feet, is a foster home for 25 or more adoptable cats from local nonprofit rescues, and visitors reserve time to play with, pet or simply sit with them. The board game cafe is fully separate, with its own ventilation, a large game library available with a game pass, a light snack and drink menu, and big viewing windows into the cat lounge. Any lounge cat can be adopted by applying through the partner rescue. The cafe runs regular events such as movie nights and needlework sessions in the lounge, and shows work by local artists. There is no phone, so bookings are made online.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking required
The Kitty Crib
Champaign, Illinois78 mi / 126 km
The Kitty Crib is a nonprofit, volunteer-run cat lounge on North Market Street in north Champaign, near Interstate 57 and a short drive from Parkland College and the University of Illinois. Run by Moore's Rescue Ranch since 2024, it is a home-like space with soft lighting and music where visitors relax, study or play with adoptable cats and kittens, many taken from overcrowded animal control facilities. Admission includes self-serve coffee and hot cocoa, and the lounge is designed to be sensory friendly for children and adults with special needs. Opening hours are limited and staffed by volunteers, so calling or booking ahead is recommended. Cats can be adopted through Moore's Rescue Ranch, and admission fees help fund the rescue's care of the cats.
- Adoptable cats
- Booking recommended