Cat Cafes in Taiwan

Hualien City, Hualien County

喵café自家烘焙館 is a small home-roasting coffee house on Zhongyi 2nd Street in Hualien City, set in a converted house that feels like a family living room or study. Owners Peter and Yvonne share it with six resident cats who take turns as 'store managers'. The best known is Afufu, who greets guests at the door, slips off to nap in a back room and comes out again to see people off; the cats are calm and used to people, and children are welcome to stroke them, though some visits catch them all asleep. Indoor seating is limited, with a few extra tables outside, and a guesthouse next door is linked to the cafe. The focus is the coffee: pour-overs and lattes made from beans roasted on site, alongside cakes, fruit toast, cookies and other light bites. Reservations are accepted, and payment is cash only.

Hualien City, Hualien County

貓棒棒咖啡 Chat Bon Café is a family-friendly cat restaurant on Bo'ai Street in Hualien City that describes itself as a halfway home for cats. The cats, including some kittens, live in a large glass-fronted cat room beside the dining area, so you can watch them while you eat, and at set times they are let out to mingle with diners, when guests can feed them lickable treats. Staff ask that the cats not be picked up. The menu is broad and inexpensive: stone-pot bibimbap, risotto, Thai basil pork, sukiyaki and other hot pots, set meals with soup and panna cotta, waffles and ice cream, with coffee and tea and free refills of drinks with meals. Dogs are welcome, and the restaurant is popular with families and for group meals; it also offers private hire and delivery.

Hualien City, Hualien County

艾倫貓舖子 is a cat cafe and licensed cattery on Zhongshan Road in Hualien City, run by the team behind the earlier 當狐獴遇見貓 animal cafe, which moved here. Pedigree kittens are displayed and sold on the ground floor, so this is a breeder's shop as well as a cafe. Upstairs, diners can visit a separate play area with the adult cats, many of them fluffy Ragdolls, and stroke them or feed them lickable treats; a few lemurs also live on site. Shoe covers are handed out before you go in, and the dining tables are kept apart from the cat area. The kitchen serves curry pork cutlet rice, braised beef brisket, sukiyaki beef hot pot, fried chicken curry, cakes and coffee. The shop also offers cat boarding and sells pet supplies.

Yilan City, Yilan County

菓子．貓 is a casual cafe-restaurant on Sanqing Road in Yilan City that shares its space with a crystal and mineral shop. Its cats, notably several Bengals along with other breeds, have their own cat room that you can look into through the glass or step inside to play in, and some also wander out to keep diners company. The owner clearly dotes on them; one was rescued as a kitten after being found abandoned in a travel bag. The menu is good value and changes from time to time: wraps (the Yilan duck-shang wrap is a favourite), croissant waffles, waffles, fried snacks, curry and risotto plates, tiramisu and other cakes, and coffee including pour-overs. Each guest must order at least one item, dine-in time is two hours, and you may be asked to move seats at busy times. Visitors may not bring their own pets, and payment is cash only.

Yilan City, Yilan County

喵來喵去咖啡廳 is a bright, colourful cat cafe on Nongquan Road, Section 3, in Yilan City, across from a public car park. The owner describes it as the cats' home: eight cats live here, seven of them former street cats she took in and one adopted, and six of the eight are now over seven years old, so they spend much of the day dozing; arriving early or late gives the best chance of finding them awake. Each table gets a booklet introducing every cat's name, likes and personality. Interaction is never forced: do not chase, pat, forcibly hold or startle the cats, and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The menu is coffee, tea and small desserts, with quiche and cheesecakes among the favourites. The minimum spend is NT$200 per person, and payment is cash only.

Yilan City, Yilan County

扯貓尾香港cafe is a tiny Hong Kong-style cafe on Bixia Street in Yilan City, with just two tables and eight seats on the ground floor. Upstairs is a cat room decorated with Hong Kong posters and murals, home to four gentle Exotic Shorthair cats; ask the staff before going up, wash your hands first, and let the cats decide whether they want to be stroked. The owners also feed the neighbourhood strays. The menu is classic cha chaan teng fare: silk-stocking milk tea, yuenyeung, Hong Kong French toast, egg waffles, turnip cake, cookie egg tarts, char siu rice, curry rice and Cantonese pastries. Because seats are few, the cafe recommends booking at least a day ahead through Facebook Messenger for 90-minute dine-in slots; groups are limited to four people, the minimum is one drink per person, and payment is cash only.

Luodong Township, Yilan County

短腿貓咖啡 is a small cat cafe on Anping Road in Luodong Township, about five minutes from Luodong Night Market and Luodong Station, which makes it a handy stop before an evening at the market. Every cat in the shop is a short-legged Munchkin, four at recent count, and they are gentle and affectionate, often coming over on their own or squeezing in between guests. The cafe is run alongside the owners' pet grooming and boarding business next door. Food covers simple meals such as curry, Thai basil pork, pasta, pizza and fried snacks, plus desserts, coffee and teas such as brown sugar and red date tea. There is a minimum spend per person, the space suits families with children, and anyone planning to come after 5 pm should phone ahead to book. Keep an eye on your plate, as the cats may try to share your food.

• Booking recommended

Luodong Township, Yilan County

貓咪好宅 is a cat lounge on Nanmen Road in Luodong Township, opposite the Luodong Cultural Working House, decorated in a soft Korean style. Around 14 friendly cats live here and readily come over for a stroke, especially when a guest is offering lickable treats. Entry is charged by time: NT$150 for 30 minutes, NT$250 for 60 minutes and NT$300 for 90 minutes, which is the maximum charge, and the fee includes a self-service bar of coffee, drinks and snacks. When the lounge is full (16 guests), weekday visits are limited to two hours; otherwise weekday stays are unlimited, though this flexible rule does not apply at weekends or on public holidays. Meals cost extra and are cooked to order by the noodle kitchen Mian Hun Jia, so allow an hour or more if you plan to eat. Bookings can be made by message or phone, and payment is cash only.

Taitung City, Taitung County

Home baby is a cat and reptile lounge on Zhongxing Road, Section 1, in Taitung City, run as the second branch of the Home Baby cattery and billed as the only place in Taiwan where cats and exotic reptiles share one space. The cats, including Maine Coons, Ragdolls and an affectionate Exotic Shorthair, are notably people-friendly, and the owners will bring out snakes and other reptiles for anyone who wants to handle or learn about them. The lounge occupies an old house with three rooms, kept clean and without strong smells, and shoe covers are provided at the door. There is a minimum spend of NT$230 to NT$250 per person with no time limit, which covers coffee, drinks and simple desserts such as brownies. It is a popular outing for families with children, and the owners recommend booking ahead.

Taitung City, Taitung County

貓町咖啡 is a coffee shop on Zhongshan Road in central Taitung City that shares its premises with Houshan Dixing, a dealer in East Coast jade and decorative stones. About 15 cats live here, a mix of rescued street cats and pedigree breeds such as Ragdolls, and they are very affectionate; the family who run the shop know every cat well and are happy to introduce their names and personalities. The coffee is roasted in house from carefully chosen estate-grade green beans and brewed by hand, alongside lattes, teas and simple desserts such as cheesecake, all at modest prices. The minimum spend is NT$150 per person, no booking is needed, and there is no age limit, though children must be gentle with the cats. From the street it can be hard to tell the shop is open to the public, but you can simply walk in.

Taitung City, Taitung County

癒室 Healing Space is a cat cafe and licensed guesthouse on Ren 8th Street in Taitung City, opened in 2023. The ground-floor cafe is home to around 13 cats, most of them Ragdolls, along with meerkats, rabbits and a beagle, and the animals roam freely among the tables. Non-residents are welcome: the minimum spend is one set meal per person with no time limit, and you can book online or simply walk in. House rules put the animals first, so do not pick up the cats except when staff need help; socks are recommended, and sanitised indoor slippers are provided. Children under ten are not admitted. The menu features brunch, waffles, light meals, coffee and afternoon tea. Upstairs, four double rooms let overnight guests come down and spend time with the cats, and the owners weave Amis Indigenous culture into the space, including a chance to try traditional dress.

Wujie Township, Yilan County

擼らら Sweets is a cat cafe run by the Lu Wu hotel group, set in a pink stand-alone cabin beside the ticket office of the Lu Wu Japanese-style theme park in Wujie Township, Yilan, with its own car park. A large group of well-groomed cats share the bright, clean lounge, and staff introduce each cat's personality and favourite places to be stroked. Visits are booked in 90-minute sessions of up to 30 people. There is no entry fee, but the minimum spend is NT$300 per adult and NT$250 for children aged 12 and under, plus a 10% service charge. Disposable shoe covers are provided; outside food, feeding the cats, flash photography and visiting pets are not allowed, and the cats must not be chased or forcibly held. The menu includes macarons, layer cakes, quiche, cream pasta, coffee and juices.