"Cat Cafés," small coffee shops where one can grab a hot, animal-friendly cup of joe and spend time with a fluffy feline, have grown increasingly popular in the United States. Originated in Taiwan, these food & pet playtime combos have also become mainstream amongst American animal lovers. The idea of a “Cat Café” might be a turn-off for some: Who wants to be sipping tea and eating brownies that have been garnished with fresh cat fur?

Meow Parlour, located at 46 Hester Street in Chinatown New York City, is a prime location for the City’s very first cat café. Paying homage to its oriental origins through its location (also just a short walk from scrumptious and culturally diverse Little Italy), is one place that although mostly overlooked by New Yorkers and tourists alike, is most definitely the cat’s meow.

For just $5 dollars per half hour of playtime, you can receive the best of both worlds, food and cats, in a hygienic, enjoyable and peaceful way for both yourselves and the café’s furry friends. The café even has designated times for children’s play, parties and private events as well. Meow Parlour, unlike some other locations, is actually split up into two sections:

A literal coffee shop on Hester Street between Essex and Ludlow Streets where you can buy cat-shaped macaroons, cookies, t-shirts and mugs.

A separate location just down Hester where you can bring your beverages and baked- goods, made with cat-safe ingredients, into a room filled with play toys, scratching posts, and about 20 of the cutest and most adoptable cats in the Big Apple. Meow Parlour works in conjunction with KittyKind, a nonprofit, no-kill, all volunteer cat adoption group based in New York City.

Upon entering the petting location, you are required to sign a waiver stating that you won’t do things like wake a sleeping cat to engage them in play, carry them without supervision from a staff member, or basically do anything to endanger you or the cat’s safety. Basically, common sense cat things. Some reviews online of the Café had complaints such as “The cats weren’t very active or engaged in play”. Well, of course not. They’re not high-energy dogs. As you can clearly see, they’re cats.

The team at Meow Parlour is very conscious of the natural behavior of their cats and make every effort not to have their personalities and habits changed by letting them be swayed to engage with guests by being fed treats, drugs or anything like that. It’s not a petting zoo or a circus; it’s a place where both you and cats can get a little loving, some peace of mind, or even a forever friend to bring home. It is a welcoming and peaceful environment where after taking off your shoes and sanitizing your hands, you can enjoy the company of loved ones and other cat lovers as the little furry angels peacefully sleep. They interact with you as much as they interact with each other, and it’s nice to see a few of their individual personalities come out as they play and lounge around with you. Complete with cat themed décor, the Meow Parlour is a place that makes one forget the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced City.

It’s quiet, cozy, and you can even get sweet treats delivered from the coffee shop to the cat petting area upon request. If you want to stay even longer to be with the cats, play games offered by the Café such as The Crazy Cat Lady, Jenga, or Catopoly, or even to read up on all the cats at the Café to date, you can simply pay the difference on your way out.

To sum it all up, the place is low-cost, low-stress, low maintenance and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It’s a great place for a date, to hang out with friends, or even just to come on your own and read a book in the company of little furry bodies. Despite what some people may say, it is an animal safe place that seeks to stay authentic to what it means to truly love cats: Not to manipulate them, but to appreciate them.