Cat Cafes in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Gato ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​⁠Café in Botafogo is the original branch of Rio de Janeiro's first cat cafe chain, opened in July 2020 in an old house on Rua das Palmeiras, a short walk from Botafogo Metrô station. It was founded by architect Giovanna Molinaro, and the chain now also runs branches in Copacabana and at Downtown in Barra da Tijuca. The building has a cat-themed cafe area and a separate room where the resident rescued cats live. Entry to the cat room is charged separately from the menu and is sold by time, and children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. All the cats are available for adoption through partner rescue groups such as Focinhos de Luz, and the chain reports hundreds of adoptions since opening. The menu has cat-shaped waffles, savoury snacks, cakes, coffees and milkshakes, and the chain also hosts birthday parties and cat yoga classes.

• Adoptable cats

Rio de Janeiro

Gato ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​⁠Café Copacabana is a branch of the Rio cat cafe chain Gato Café, opened in June 2025 on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, a few minutes on foot from Cardeal Arcoverde Metrô station and two blocks from the beach. The cafe seats around 50 people and is decorated in the chain's pink cat theme, with a separate glass-fronted room where rescued cats live while they wait for adoption. Time with the cats is paid separately from food and drink and is charged by time. The cats come from partner rescue groups, including Os Indefesos, and anyone wanting to adopt fills in an application form. The menu includes cat-shaped waffles, a tiered snack tower, sandwiches, quiches, specialty coffees and milkshakes, and the branch also hosts birthday parties and events.

• Adoptable cats

Rio de Janeiro

Gato ⁠‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠Café Downtown is the Barra da Tijuca branch of the Rio cat cafe chain Gato Café, in block 20 of the Downtown open-air shopping and office complex on Avenida das Américas. The chain earlier had a Barra store in Via Parque Shopping, which closed in August 2025. This branch is smaller than the Botafogo original and follows the same format: a pink, cat-themed cafe with a separate glass-walled room where rescued cats live until they are adopted. Visitors can watch the cats from the cafe or pay a separate fee for time inside the cat room, where they can play with and stroke them. All the cats are available for adoption through the chain's partner rescue groups, with an application and screening process. The menu covers cat-shaped waffles and bread rolls, savoury snacks, cakes, coffees and milkshakes.

• Adoptable cats