Pet therapy

I love cats and miss my little one back at mum and dad’s in Australia.  Last year I visited a cat café in Japan, and it was a bit surreal.  So when I heard about Ailu Cat Cafe in Phu Nhuan, I was curious to check it out and see what it’s like!

The first thing that struck me was the dogs.  They were outnumbered by the cats, to be sure, but still, there were at least five of them, from a tiny puppy to older, pretty docile dogs.  From teeny tiny ones (the ones that make me nervous) to fairly large ones (a rottweiler!).  And they ran and tumbled around inside the café, occasionally bumping into guests – who sit on legless chairs i.e. at ground level.  So if you’re not comfortable with raucous dogs, I wouldn’t recommend this place!

And the cats?  Just gorgeous!  Lots of longer-hair breeds, lots of very large, well-fed cats, and all pretty docile.  They were sleeping on ledges, sitting in boxes and ‘trees’, and just hanging out.  All of them seemed happy enough to be patted or held.  We saw a few cats eating snacks, fairly aggressively, from guests, which could explain the size of some of them.

There was a bit of a whiff of cat pee about the place, but it generally seemed clean, the drinks menu was what you’d expect, and it was an interesting experience.  If you’re in need of some pet therapy, it might be just the place.