Katzentempel, the first cat café in Munich

I had always dreamt of visiting a cat café, which is a regular coffee shop where you can pet cats and the ambience is built for the well-being of the animals, with parcours and pillows. Cat cafés were born in Asia: the first one opened in Taiwan back in 1998, and then spread to Japan, where they are still very popular.  In the past few years, cat cafés are opening all over the world, including one in Turin, so when I read that there was one in Munich - where I was headed for a weekend - I decided  to pay a visit, and perhaps cuddle a German cat or two.



Mascotte in front of the cashier

The cats in these cafés are often rescue cats, but some cat cafés are dedicated to special breeds. It's commonly believed that petting an animal helps relieving the stress of the day, and this is why they are popular in Japan and Korea, where people notoriously work impossible hours and the pressure to excel is very high. Nowadays, caytcafés are a feature of hip cities. I bet Berlin has one, and London too.

 

Katzentempel, which means Cat Temple, was the first cat café to be opened in Germany. When I visited there were several cats: a tubby and some Siamese cats. They were mostly sleeping, what a life! The cats all have names, and the place is very clean: not one hair in sight!



A tubby sleeping at Katzentempel



Siamese cat in Katzentempel

The café has a special parcour designed for the cats: they can jump from platform to platform, thus walking around the café without touching the floor. Moreover, there are cushions and toys. You are not allowed to pick them up if they are sleeping, but you can cuddle them and of course welcome them in your lap if they come to you first. 
 

The cats' parcour in Katzentempel

 

Katzentempel is worth being mentioned also because it serves mouth-watering cakes. I had a slice of strawberry and chocolate cake, and it was heavenly. I wouldn't hesitate to stop at Katzentempel on my next visit to Munich! It's not the cheapest place on earth, but it's worth it. A slice of cake costs €4,50, and my glass of orange juice €2,70. 



A slice of strawberry and chocolate cake

Katzentempel is located in Türkenstrasse 29, Munich. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 to 20, Saturday 10 to 20, and Sunday 10 to 18.