National coffee day pairs well with cats

As if we needed an excuse to overindulge in both coffee and cats, but here it is. Today is National Coffee Day! You can find a list of chains participating in special deals, but if you're local to Indianapolis (or within a reasonable driving distance), don't miss out a chance to visit Nine Lives Cat Cafe.

The very first cat cafe comes to us courtesy of Taipei, Taiwan in 1998. While there's a little disagreement regarding Japan's first cat cafe (see here and here), there's no doubt about the popularity. Currently boasting 150 cat cafes, Japan's restrictions on pets in rentals along with large numbers of single young adults have proven what every cat lady already understands-cats are excellent companions at the end of a long workday.

Not to be outdone, but always a bit behind, the US had 125 cat cafes as of 2019. While some likely suffered closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cat cafes are becoming an essential part of housing and adopting out available cats. Many cat cafes partner with animal welfare nonprofit organizations to both educate individuals about cat care and provide opportunities for people to interact with adoptable cats.

It's brilliant. Much like the free samples at Costco or the annual Girl Scout cookie booths, there's nothing that closes a sale better than experiencing the product. At cat cafes, patrons can enjoy food, drinks, and the company of felines they'll easily imagine as part of their family.

It was my local cat cafe, Nine Lives Cat Cafe, that introduced me to this concept several years ago. While I was initially delighted by the sheer number and variety of kitties and the cozy cat lady living room vibes, I was most impressed by the information shared about cat care and health. Ok, so the delicious drinks didn't hurt either...

Nine Lives' commitment to helping Indy cats find loving homes amplifies the efforts of our local shelters, provides additional jobs, and keeps more money in our neighborhood economies. Plus you get to pet the cats and you don't have to clean the litterboxes.

What's not to love? Go check out your local cat cafe on this National Coffee Day! As if you needed an excuse to enjoy cats and coffee ;).

Cheers.