After waiting many months during lockdown, I finally made it to Romsey to have High Tea with all the cats! Paws for Thought Cat Cafe is a really magical place and a must for all cat lovers.
I know cat cafes can often be a bit controversial and I have sometimes worried that all the people visiting would stress the cats and make them unhappy and ill, but I have visited a few now and this one is very special. Its important to remember that yes these cats live indoors but indoor cats can have happy and fulfilled lives given enough mental stimulation and some cats that have outdoor access don’t always have good lives. The moment I walked in I was welcomed by friendly and efficient staff. Staff that have to currently deal with all the covid restrictions and rules, and ensure both customers and cats are happy.
All the cats looked very chilled and totally at home, considering they haven’t seen many people for months, it was lovely to see. Everything in this cafe is designed with the cats welfare and needs in mind. There was lots of environmental enrichment going on with cat shelves, beds, hiding places, scratching posts, a cat wheel and even their own catio! Lots of toys for the cats and people to play with and everything was spotlessly clean and I felt very covid safe. The staff could not do enough for me and my friend and we had a really enjoyable time.
The high tea was delicious with sandwiches, cakes, scones and tea and other hot drinks.
The manager Emma is very passionate and knowledgeable about cats and is very keen to promote rescue cats and pet bereavement in the cafe.
Some of the cats are related which helps socially and they all seemed to get on with one another anyway and there were 7 cats in total. I cannot recommend this lovely cafe highly enough and I’m already planning another cat lady tea soon!
You can find more details at their websitehttps://www.pawsforthoughtcatcafe.com/
