Catfetín, Peru’s Cat Cafe: Make Some New Furry Friends Here!

Cusco is a city known for many great traveller attractions. It is a springboard for trips to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and the Sacred Valley. The city itself also boasts some fabulous gems including ruins, churches and culinary delights.

Despite spending over a month in an around the city, my personal highlight was none of the obvious.

When I found out about Catfetín, Cusco’s first cat cafe and adoption centre, I couldn’t wait to check it out. I adore cats and have been away from my hairy babies for 6 months at the time of writing. 

Sadly, across South America, cats are not always given the loving forever homes that they are in the UK. I was keen to both satisfy my cat craving and see some of these cuties in a warm and safe environment. 

A warning: I am a crazy cat lady and this is a post for all of my other cat-mad peers. If you are allergic to kitties, you have my deepest sympathies but you may want to read something else. If you don’t like cats, well then sorry but we can’t be friends.

The purrfect activity

Catfetín works with cat shelters and a cat hostel in Urubamba to ensure all of its furry residents are rescues. At the cat cafe, it is possible to play with the cats and even adopt one!

When I visited the cat cafe in Peru, it had been open just three months and was already a roaring success. In that time, they had managed to rehome an amazing 16 cats! 

There are special rules in place to make sure that all of the cats go to responsible owners. For example, each cat comes with a 50 soles fee for adoption. This covers their deworming, neutering and necessary shots. 

It is clear that the staff at Catfetín are hugely passionate about what they do. Even cats who take longer to be rehomed will still experience love and affection from those who run the cafe (not to mention all of the visitors)!

At any one time, there will be up to 10 cats, all of which have their very own unique personalities. During our visit, I fell in love with a little tom called Tommy (how fitting). He was so affectionate, all he wanted was a comfy lap and he was happy! 

There were also a few kittens at Catfetín when we visited which kept things entertaining. They were so boisterous and I had the best time hanging out with them all!

The owners of Catfetín have not only created a beautiful space but also provided entertainment for both people and kitties alike. There are at themed board games (English and Spanish) as well as different cat based books and toys. 

Tim particularly enjoyed ‘How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You’. He does get a little paranoid about things with bigger brains than him though… 

One particularly nice touch about our visit to Peru’s cat cafe was the complimentary memento that we were given by the staff. During our visit, they snapped a Polaroid of us playing with the cats which was the perfect way to remember our experience.

When Tim and I left Peru’s cat cafe, I really felt like we had to drag ourselves away. These cute furries had pulled on my heartstrings and I had already begun to consider adopting one and taking it on the road with me. 

I quickly came to my senses though. Just imagine taking a cat on a Bolivian Pampas tour when the river is full of caimans and piranhas?! Definitely a recipe for disaster.  

Despite my going home alone (or with Tim anyway), I still felt hugely fulfilled by my visit to Catfetín and so happy to put money into caring for these animals. 

Can I eat at Catfetín Cat Cafe?

As well as offering the best leisure activity in the world, Catfetín also makes some mean meals! Both Tim and I checked out the Alpaca burger which came in the form of mini sliders accompanied by crispy chips. The meal was mouthwatering and the strawberry fruit juice was delicious! 

Food was very reasonably priced at between 15 and 20 soles for a meal. You can’t say fairer than that, especially when the money is going to such a good cause!

How do I get to Cusco’s cat cafe?

Catfetín is located just two blocks from Cusco’s main square along Calle Maruri. It is easy to walk there from the Plaza de Armas and the journey takes between five and ten minutes. Look out for the Catfetín sign outside!

Do I need a reservation? 

Inside the building, there is both a cat lounge (Zona Michi) and a standard coffee shop. That means that you can choose where you want to hang out. 

Entrance into the Zone Michi is 10 soles per adult for an hour and this fee goes towards providing the kitties with medical care, food and water. It is recommended that you reserve a place in the cat lounge at least a day in advance so you don’t miss out, although the cafe does take walk-in appointments too.

Get ready to sign your life away…

Upon your entry to the Zona Michi, you need to sign a waiver. Basically, this involves accepting that cats bite and scratch and you’re not going to sue. Seriously, who would sue a cat cafe because a cat was a cat? There sure are some strange people out there. 

There is also a list of rules you must follow whilst enjoying your time in the cat lounge. Again, in my opinion, these are mostly common sense. One of the most important is not to let the kitties eat any human food, no matter how much they try (and trust me, they will). Other than that, remember to give the cats their space, don’t manhandle them and treat them with respect. It’s as easy as that!

When is Catfetín open?

But what if I am not in Cusco?!

If you are not in Cusco, then you better get your butt down there pronto! These kitties need you! Seriously though, if you can’t get to Catfetín, there are some great alternatives around the globe. Fellow travel blogger Sophie highly recommends visiting Le New Chatouille in Belgium and you can also check out Conde Nast Traveler for more notable cat cafes! 

So what are you waiting for? Have you visited Catfetín Cat Cafe Peru?

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