Neko Cafe On “Cat Hill” Offers A Unique Coffee Experience
Some dreams really do come true.
Walking into Neko Cafe on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, I felt a deep sense of happiness for owner, Caitlin Unsell.
Neko Cafe is one of Seattle’s most unique cafes where you can grab a coffee (or wine, beer, or sake) and spend time with some pretty lovable (and adoptable) cats.
The last time Caitlin and I spoke about her coffee business happened few years ago. At the time, she was in the planning and fundraising stage of her coffee business.
With her cafe recently celebrating their 1st year in business, it was time that I come in for a visit.
Neko Cafe is a beautifully designed, cozy space that allow for the wellness of the cats and the patrons.
A glass partitions allows visitors to spend time with cats or simply watch the little kitties from the bar. Having a coffee or beer at Neko Cafe is a perfect place to spend an hour in Seattle.
The following is a recent Q&A Interview with Caitlin about Neko Café:
We’ve interviewed you before, but remind us of the inspiration that led to Neko Café?
I lived in Sapporo, Japan for 2 years and was missing my kitty at home so I started visiting cat cafes in Japan and fell in the love with the concept!
What kind of experience does your café bring to customers?
We give people an opportunity to enjoy the company of cats in a warm, relaxing and fun space. Cats bring a lot of joy and happiness for people and can really brighten up people’s days. With all of our kitties up for adoption, we are also are able to help them find the purrfect match.
How do the cats respond to café visitors?
Every cat is very different and their initial response really varies. Sometimes they arrive and immediately hop into a customers’ laps. Other times they choose to spend time in the back cat room away from customers at first. In general, almost all of the kitties choose to spend the majority of their day playing with customers, demanding pets and of course, sleeping…cats LOVE sleep!
What was the biggest challenge in opening your café?
Finding a space on Capitol Hill was my biggest challenge. Landlords thought I was crazy when they heard the word “cat cafe” and had a hard time understanding the concept.
Are there are special rules for your café customers when visiting cats?
We have rules for the cat room to help keep the kitties happy. This includes things like, not using cameras with a flash and not taunting the cats. We also have a cat-pacity so it does not get too crowded. In addition, there is always a cat bouncer working in the cat room to make sure everyone is happy!
Who do you partner with to obtain your cats?
All of our kitties are from our shelter partner Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC). However they are transferred there from all over the U.S.
Your cats are special and your café plays an important role – tell us about how you chose to work with cats with Feline Leukemia Virus?
We wanted to help the cats that were most vulnerable. FeLV+ kitties are typically the last to get adopted and are often euthanized when shelters are overcrowded. We wanted to give these kitties the life they deserve.
Either with cats or with your customers, have there been any surprises (or unexpected) positives elements you have seen since your opening?
We attract such a wide customer base because there is not one demographic that loves cats, we are really all over the board which is so great.
What’s it like owning a café in Seattle?
It’s absolutely amazing. I feel so lucky to have made my dream come true. I get to make people smile everyday and help kitties find forever homes. What more could you ask for?!
Highly Recommended!
Neko Cafe – Capitol Hill
519 E Pine St.
Seattle, WA 98122
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