Cat Cafes in Thailand

Khon Kaen

Healjai Cat Cafe (the name means roughly 'heal the heart') is a minimalist cat cafe on Non Muang Road in Sila, just behind Khon Kaen University. The Muji-style space is clean, bright and free of smells, with photo corners and seating where you can work or relax while around 17 resident cats roam freely, including a Sphynx, a Maine Coon and several tabbies. Entry is 59 baht per person with no time limit, and cat treats are on sale for anyone who wants to make friends quickly. The cafe serves fresh coffee, fruit sodas, smoothies and other drinks, plus cakes and fried snacks, and the staff are known for being friendly and attentive. There is parking on site, and the cafe is a favourite hang-out for KKU students looking to unwind between classes.

Khon Kaen

Fluffy Plus Cafe is a cat and dog cafe on Rop Mueang Road in central Khon Kaen, run by Fluffy+ Farm, which breeds Munchkin, British and Scottish cats as well as Corgis. The cafe has separate rooms for the cats and the dogs, a seating area and a lawn where the animals are sometimes let out for play and photos. Cats outnumber the Corgis, and each animal has its own MBTI-style personality card so you know who you are meeting. To enter the animal rooms, order two drinks and one cake, which gives you 30 minutes of play time. Drinks come from the sister coffee bar Zync and include specialty coffee and hot cocoa, served with homemade cakes and bakery items. The owner and staff are attentive and happy to introduce each cat and dog, which makes it popular with families.

• Adoptable cats

Khon Kaen

Huskimo Cafe and Bar is a long-running dog and cat cafe on Sri Chan Road in central Khon Kaen. The ground floor is a regular cafe and bar serving coffee, Thai tea, honey toast, pasta and Isan dishes at normal cafe prices. The animals are the main draw: Siberian Huskies, Corgis, a Chow Chow and a Collie share the space with a big group of cats, close to 30 at last count, and there are even some exotic lizards. Playing with the animals in the upstairs rooms requires a ticket of about 99 baht, and free snacks for the animals are provided. The big dogs can be boisterous and occasionally squabble, so families with small children should keep a close eye on them. Staff are friendly and happy to take photos and videos of you with the animals.

Khon Kaen

The Base Cat Cafe is a small, friendly cat cafe on Soi Bun Me in Nai Mueang, Khon Kaen. It feels more like visiting a cat-loving friend's home than a big commercial cafe: a group of soft, fluffy and playful cats and kittens share the cosy room with customers, and the owner is welcoming and happy to introduce them one by one. There is no entry fee, and unlike many cat cafes you are allowed to pick the cats up gently. Drinks are tasty and inexpensive, with a small selection of snacks and sweets to go with them. It is a relaxed, low-key option for students and locals who want to spend an hour or two with cats without paying a cover charge, and a good place to come with friends or siblings.

Nong Khai

My Healing Cafe is a minimalist cafe in Nong Kom Ko on the edge of Nong Khai town, tucked down Soi Don Du 5 near Nong Khai School, that bills itself as Nong Khai's cat cafe. The white-toned interior has lots of photo corners, an outdoor seating area and an air-conditioned room with a glass-walled cat zone, home to a group of fluffy, friendly cats. To go in and play with the cats, buy a drink and wear a face mask; a lint roller is handy for cat hair afterwards. The menu focuses on coffee and other drinks, plus sweets and bakery items rather than full meals. The approach is along a narrow village lane, but there is reasonable parking at the shop. It is a calm place to sit with a drink and watch the cats.

Chaiyaphum

Series's The Cat Cafe and Bar is a cosy cat cafe in Mueang Chaiyaphum, beside the Green Valley housing estate on the road that leads through to the technical college, and it calls itself the only cat cafe in Chaiyaphum province. Around 26 resident cats, each with a distinct personality, share the space with visitors and are known for being playful and affectionate. Entry works on a coupon system: buy a 50-baht coupon per person, which comes with socks and can be spent on drinks and snacks. The menu includes coffee, fruit teas, Greek yogurt, tiramisu and other bakery items, and drinks can also be ordered for delivery through LINE MAN. The owners are warm and welcoming, making it a relaxed place to unwind with a drink and a lap full of cats.

Si Sa Ket

Toem Maew Cafe (the name means 'top up on cats') is a cat cafe on Ubon Road in Mueang Tai, central Si Sa Ket. The owners describe it as a coffee and dessert shop with cats to help you unwind after work, and the clean, odour-free room is home to many fat, fluffy cats who love to play and pay special attention to anyone holding a lickable treat. Visitors can feed the cats and take photos with them, following a clear set of house rules set out by the cafe. Queue bookings can be made through the cafe's own website, which is worth doing at busy times. Drinks and cakes are on the menu at reasonable prices. The owner is attentive and clearly takes good care of the cats, making it a welcoming spot for cat lovers without a cat of their own.

Mueang Suang, Roi Et

Scottish Cafe is a restaurant and cat cafe on the Roi Et–Suwannaphum road in Nong Phue, just before Mueang Suang town and about 25 minutes south of Roi Et city. The grounds are spacious, with a lake and fish pond where you can feed the fish, duck pedal boats, a children's playground and an air-conditioned dining room. The cat cafe zone is home to a gang of Scottish-breed cats that visitors can play with, photograph and feed up close for a small entry fee. The restaurant serves a broad menu including shabu, pizza, papaya salad and other Thai dishes, plus coffee, cakes and other drinks. It makes a good family outing, combining a meal by the water with time with the cats, though service can be slow when the restaurant is busy at weekends.

Chiang Khan, Loei

Le Moon Home Cafe is a minimalist cafe and small guesthouse on Soi 17 in Chiang Khan, Loei, a short walk from the town's famous walking street along the Mekong. The cafe is full of friendly resident cats who wander through the bright, photogenic rooms and greet guests, which has made it a favourite stop for cat lovers visiting Chiang Khan; it promotes itself as a cat cafe. The menu ranges from signature and coconut coffee, matcha and Thai tea to brownies and other baked goods, plus local dishes such as Chiang Khan-style tam sua, all at reasonable prices. Rooms are available for overnight stays, with the cafe right out front, and guests can borrow bicycles for free to explore the old town and riverside. Staff are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.

Mukdahan

Coff Cat Cafe is a small, quiet cat cafe on Phithak Phanom Khet Road in the centre of Mukdahan. The cool, air-conditioned room is clean and odour-free, and its resident cats, several of them plump and affectionate, come out to greet customers and are happy to play with anyone who takes an interest. The owner is friendly, keeps the cats clean and well cared for, and sometimes hands out snacks to regulars. The menu centres on coffee and other drinks at reasonable prices, alongside homemade desserts and a little food. It is a relaxed spot for cat lovers living in or passing through Mukdahan, whether you want a quiet drink on your own or a few minutes with a cat on your lap, and many customers come back again and again.