Cat Cafes in Arkansas

Conway, Arkansas

Gibson's Cat Café is a coffee shop and kitty lounge on Dave Ward Drive in west Conway, in central Arkansas. The coffee bar serves craft drinks made with locally roasted beans and light bites, and the adjoining lounge has couches, books and plenty of cat furniture. All the lounge cats are adoptable and come from local shelters and rescue partners such as Community Cats of Central Arkansas and the Conway Animal Welfare Unit. Visitors buy a lounge pass for 15, 30 or 60 minutes or a full day with come-and-go access, and each pass includes a cup of drip coffee. Children aged 3 and under enter free, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by someone 16 or older. The cafe is named after the owners' cat Gibson and hosts regular events such as kitty yoga and themed trivia nights. It also offers memberships and welcomes volunteers.

• Adoptable cats

Paragould, Arkansas

Something Pawsitive is a cat lounge on South Pruett Street in downtown Paragould, in northeast Arkansas, attached to Something Sweet, a bakery run by the same owner. Opened in February 2021, it houses adoptable cats from Ozzie's Legacy, a local rescue, and every cat in the lounge can be adopted; hundreds have gone home since the opening. Visitors check in at the bakery first and then pay for cat time by the 15 minutes, half hour or hour, with the longer sessions earning a discount on food and drinks from Something Sweet. Walk-ins are accepted but may have to wait when the lounge is full and are guaranteed only 30 minutes, so booking a day ahead is recommended, especially on Saturdays. Donations of time, supplies or money help care for the cats, and gift cards cover the lounge, the bakery and its sister eatery.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Fayetteville, Arkansas

The Smitten Kitten NWA is a nonprofit cat cafe on West Sycamore Street in north Fayetteville, a short drive from the University of Arkansas, and calls itself a cat cafe for the underdogs. Its cats are adoptable felines from local rescues and shelters that are often overlooked, such as shy cats, seniors and cats with quirks or special needs. Unlike most cat cafes, one entry fee covers unlimited time during opening hours and includes free coffee and tea; sodas and water are sold, and outside food and drink are welcome. Visitors must be at least 6 years old. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. All cats are fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and tested, and adoption applications are reviewed by each cat's original shelter or rescue. The cafe grew out of the former Purr Catfe in Fayetteville and also holds occasional events such as holiday craft days.

• Adoptable cats
• Booking recommended

Harrison, Arkansas

Beans & Whiskers is a coffee shop and cat lounge on Capps Road in Harrison, in the Arkansas Ozarks. The family and veteran-owned business specializes in freshly made churros and espresso drinks, and it fosters cats for the local humane society in a separate lounge furnished with couches and tables. A small fee applies for time in the cat lounge, which helps socialize the cats for adoption, and all the lounge cats are available to adopt; dozens have found homes since the cafe opened. Kittens are often in residence. The business also aims to provide employment for people on the autism spectrum. Beyond regular visits, it hosts occasional all-levels yoga classes in the lounge with the cats roaming, and it can be booked for birthday parties.

• Adoptable cats