Cat Cafes in Thailand

Chiang Rai

Pick a Pieces Café & Cuddle is a small cat cafe on Ruang Nakhon Road in the heart of Chiang Rai's old town. A handful of affectionate, cuddly cats, including one notably chubby character, share the room with guests, so it suits people who prefer a few very friendly cats to a crowd. There is no entrance fee. The cafe takes its coffee seriously, with well-made espresso drinks and specialty coffee such as an iced vanilla latte, and serves homemade brownies, cheesecake and other cakes. Hygiene is well thought out, with a hand-washing station, cleaning supplies and an air purifier in the room. The owner is famously chatty and welcoming, which gives the place a relaxed, neighbourly feel.

Nan

Pluk Cha Nan (ปลูกชา ณ น่าน) is a quiet tea cafe in a small lane off Mahaprom Road in the centre of Nan town, where a family of resident cats has made it known locally as a cat cafe. The cats are friendly, though a few are shy and independent, and visitors can buy food to feed them. The speciality here is southern Thai-style tea, with strong, fragrant Thai milk tea, Malay-style tea and lemon tea alongside coffee, all at friendly prices. The shady, leafy space is calm enough for working or reading, and there is a picture-painting activity that children enjoy. The lane is narrow, so it is best to park at its entrance and walk the short distance.

San Sai, Chiang Mai

Sukjai Cat Cafe (คาเฟ่แมวสุขใจ) is a small cat cafe in the Mae Jo area of San Sai, north of Chiang Mai city, opposite the Non Nipha housing estate. More than 30 cats live here, from Thai cats to short-legged and other pedigree breeds, and they are famously sociable, swarming visitors who bring chicken treats. Entry costs 120 baht per person, includes a free drink and allows up to one hour with the cats, in a single shared room with no separate cat-free zone. Everyone must wear socks, which are sold at the cafe for 20 baht a pair if you forget. Visitors of all ages are welcome, but children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult, and the cats may not be picked up.

• Booking recommended

San Sai, Chiang Mai

Neko Cafe is a small cat cafe and restaurant in Mae Jo, San Sai, close to Maejo University north of Chiang Mai city. A group of friendly resident cats roam the room and readily come over to play with customers, and there is no entrance fee: visitors simply order from the menu. The kitchen serves simple meals and bakery items alongside freshly brewed coffee and a range of other drinks, at modest prices that suit the student neighbourhood. The shop is compact and casual, more like a neighbourhood eatery that happens to share its space with cats than a polished tourist cafe, which gives it a relaxed, homely atmosphere. Regulars come back for both the food and the affectionate cats.

San Sai, Chiang Mai

Meowmi Café is a bright, recently opened cat cafe in Nong Han, Mae Jo, near Maejo University north of Chiang Mai city. There is no entrance fee, so the owners ask visitors to help keep the space clean and to play with the cats gently. The resident cats include an energetic orange cat who loves to entertain and a round, sleepy cat called Udon. Guests can sit indoors with the cats or in an outdoor area, and with Wi-Fi and work-friendly tables it is a popular place for students to study. The menu offers rich cocoa, fragrant matcha, coffee, bingsu and cakes. Outside food and drinks are not allowed. The cafe is spotlessly clean and welcoming to families with young children.

Doi Saket, Chiang Mai

Cats Station Café (ร้านกาแฟสถานีแมว) is a cosy cafe in Ban San Um, Choeng Doi, in Doi Saket district east of Chiang Mai, conveniently on the way to Mae Kampong. Its cats are former strays, mostly friendly Thai cats including several cheerful orange ones, and they are happy to be stroked and played with using the toys provided. The cafe feels like dropping in on a friend's house full of cats. Unusually for a cat cafe, the food is a real highlight: generous plates of fried rice and other homestyle dishes at fair prices, made with good ingredients, plus fresh coffee and bakery items. The space is new, clean and fitted with an air purifier, though visitors with cat allergies should take care.

Mae Rim, Chiang Mai

เฟอฟู is a small cat and ferret cafe in the Phet Ploy Business Park on Soi Ban Phra Non 9, Don Kaeo, in Mae Rim just north of Chiang Mai city. Customers order food or drinks and can then sit in the animal zone with the resident cats, which are affectionate and quick to ask for attention, and with a group of young ferrets, which are lively and like to nibble fingers. There is no entrance fee and no time limit, which makes it an easy, good-value stop. The cafe serves meals and a range of well-made drinks, and there is parking right in front of the shop. It is a good choice for visitors who want to meet ferrets as well as cats in a single visit.

Kamphaeng Phet

N Cat n' Cafe' is a small cat cafe on Rat Ruam Chai Road in the centre of Kamphaeng Phet town. Playing with the resident cats is free, as long as each visitor orders one item from the drinks menu, and prices are low. The cats are numerous, sociable and tame, and cat treats are available for visitors who want to feed them. The menu runs from coffee and rich cocoa to other drinks, cakes and brownies, and the cafe is comfortable enough to sit and work while the cats wander around. It makes a pleasant break for cat lovers visiting Kamphaeng Phet's old town and historical park, and the staff are friendly and happy to introduce the cats.

Uttaradit

TheView Cat & Cafe is a quiet little cafe in Tha It, on the edge of Uttaradit town, where around eight resident cats share the room with customers. There is no entry fee; visitors simply buy a drink, and the cats, including the especially affectionate Alpha and Alicia, often come and sit beside guests while they are still ordering. The drinks menu has a strong focus on matcha, with a wide choice of matcha drinks for green tea fans, alongside coffee and other drinks. It is a calm, unhurried place to sit for a while with the cats, and the staff are friendly. It is a welcome find for cat lovers in a province with few cat cafes.

Phichit

P Cat's Cafe is a friendly cat cafe on Sa Luang Road in the centre of Phichit town. Its air-conditioned cat room is home to a large group of cats with very different personalities, from pampered, princely types to energetic little rascals, and they are affectionate and playful with visitors. The kind, welcoming owner is a big part of the appeal, and many guests come back again and again. Tea, coffee and other drinks are served along with sweets, and visitors can buy treats for the cats. It is a relaxed, family-friendly spot that children enjoy, and it makes a pleasant break for anyone passing through Phichit who wants to spend some time with cats.

Phrae

Mao Meow Cat Cafe (หม่าวเหมียว คาเฟ่) is an unusual cafe in Na Chak, on the edge of Phrae town, that combines a cat cafe with a small shrine. The front of the property houses a Javanese-style statue of Ganesha, along with a Naga and a figure of Guanyin, where visitors can pay their respects. Further in, an air-conditioned room is home to a surprisingly large number of plump, people-friendly cats that are happy to be petted. The cafe is kept clean and free of smells. The kitchen serves tea, coffee, fried snacks and Thai rice dishes, and children enjoy visiting the cats. It is a quirky stop that mixes local spiritual tradition with time among cats.

Chachoengsao

Minako Cat Cafe is a small, friendly cat cafe on Siri Sothon Road in the centre of Chachoengsao, a short drive from Wat Sothon. The resident cats include laid-back Persians and other long- and short-haired breeds, each with its own personality; some are cuddly, others prefer to be left to rest. There is no entrance fee: visitors simply order something from the menu, and cat treats are on sale for anyone who wants to make friends quickly. The kitchen serves fresh coffee, other drinks, bakery items, desserts and simple, inexpensive meals. The business started as Minako Cafe & Spa and also offers Japanese-style head spa and hair-wash treatments. Parents are asked to show children how to play gently with the cats.