Bon Appétit & Meow! First Cat Café Opens Its Doors In Paris

First Parisian Cat Cafe Opens To Animal Lovers

It looks like Henri, le Chat Noir finally has a proper spot to grab a cup of coffee and contemplate his existence the next time he finds himself in the City of Light!



Paris's first cat cafe, Le Café des Chats, recently opened its doors in the Marais district, giving Parisians with cramped apartments the chance to experience some "purr therapy." The location is quickly proving to be a popular hangout, with hundreds of cat lovers being turned away opening weekend, and reservations already booked through November.



The café is home to twelve rescued cats, including Habby, who suffers from feline dwarfism, which gives her a stunted tail and unusually short paws.



Owner Margaux Gandelon tells Reuters that the comfort and care of the felines is foremost, and patrons must follow strict rules. The cats are not allowed to be picked up against their will (although if they happen to hop into your lap willingly, that's ok), and are also prohibited from being fed and disturbed while they are sleeping. 



According to their website, café owners have been working with animal welfare groups to develop an environment where the cats are happy. The resident kitties, which were all adopted from shelters, are not selected for their looks, but according to their nature, to ensure they enjoy the presence of other cats and humans alike. 



The concept of cat café, an establishment where customers can come and sip coffee while enjoying the company of felines, originated in Taiwan in the late 90s and quickly spread across Asia. There are now over 40 cat cafés in Japan, and the trend has recently ignited in Europe, where Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is gearing up to open in London next year.

Via Reuters, Le Café des Chats / Images: Facebook (Le Café des Chats)

Bon Appétit & Meow! First Cat Café Opens Its Doors In Paris

EVA Air Hello Kitty "Hand-in-Hand" Jet Makes Its U.S. Debut

EVA Air Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand Jet 

Yesterday, the EVA Air Hello Kitty Hand-in-Hand jet landed at Los Angeles International Airport in California, making its inaugural international flight from Taipei. This incredible plane is a Hello Kitty fan's dream come true, and when I saw pics from the event popping up on my Instagram feed from @sanrio, @catfancymag, and @japanla, I must admit I was pretty jealous!



The super kawaii aircraft is painted nose-to-tail with Hello Kitty & her Sanrio friends, shown hand-in hand, on both sides of the fuselage.




Pilot Dear Daniel and a beary cute airplane mechanic.

Of course, the plane's arrival was greeted to much fanfare, and after landing, it was moved to a special event area where fans could take a cabin tour, and enjoy special appearances by the cat herself, and lead Hello Kitty designer, Yuko Yamaguchi.



When they say this jet is "all Hello Kitty everything," they really mean it!



The experience begins before you even get on the plane, with Hello Kitty boarding passes and baggage stickers waiting for you at the airport. Onboard, passengers are greeted by flight attendants wearing pink aprons with Hello Kitty designs!





There are more than 100 feline-themed in-flight service items to choose from, including headrest covers, pillows, tissues, hand cream, liquid hand soap, napkins, paper cups, utensils, and snacks and meals. 





I mean, even the freaking toilet paper has Hello Kitty on it! 



Fans can also shop from a selection of limited-edition Hello Kitty duty-free products that will be available inflight.



The new jet will operate weekly international flights between Los Angeles and Taipei, so for now, you'll have to head to California if you want to fly the kitty skies. EVA Air currently operates five shorter-range Hello Kitty aircrafts in Asia -- with regional flights between Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Guam.   

Images courtesy of Sanrio.

EVA Air Hello Kitty "Hand-in-Hand" Jet Makes Its U.S. Debut

Around The World In 80 Cats #27: Japan

Me and Hello Kitty, Sanrio Puroland, Tokyo, Japan , 2010

"Stephanie Harwin, who writes the cat-obsessed blog Catsparella, will go to great lengths to get her feline fix. On her quest to fulfill a lifelong dream—visiting Japan’s Hello Kitty theme park—Harwin endured a bout of severe food poisoning, a language barrier, and a long journey to reach her happy place." - Emma Sloley, Travel + Leisure


Hello Kitty Bus 

I was recently interviewed by Emma Sloley for a Travel + Leisure article about the "Craziest places for cat lovers." Our contact came about through  "Around the World in 80 Cats," my column dedicated to compiling all of the coolest cat-themed travel destinations in the world. 

The column started as a way for me to research places I was interested in traveling to, although I've put off writing about the one cat-related destination I've actually visited, because of the overwhelming amount of kitty culture the country has to offer. 


Sanrio Puroland

I've been thinking a lot lately about that aforementioned trip to Japan (March 15 - 31, 2010), and the enormous impact it had on my life. In the early days of Catsparella I wrote about my experience going to the Hello Kitty theme park, Sanrio Puroland, but conveniently left out the trip to the emergency room that preceded it.

Read More: Sanrio Puroland: Mecca For Hello Kitty Lovers


Street sign outside Puroland

Within hours of arriving after arriving in Tokyo, I came down with a case of food poisoning so bad, that I had to go to the hospital for treatment. To make matters worse, I was jet-lagged and all alone in an unfamiliar country, debilitated by a constant stream of vomit, dizziness, and unrelenting nausea.


Sanrio Character Boatride

I was in Japan on vacation as part of a group tour, but had arrived a few days ahead of everyone else so I could spend extra time exploring my own interests, which included a trip to the Hello Kitty theme park. Unfortunately, two of those "free" days were spent stuck, sick in my hotel room, leaving only one day, and a final opportunity to travel to the park that I had already come so far to experience.


Inside the Sanrio Character Ride at Puroland

Although I had barely eaten for days and was still extremely weak, I dragged myself out of bed to go. My amazing tour guide, Mya, gave me a map with directions to the park, which was well over an hour away, and involved taking a bus and two trains to get to. 


"Believe" Parade at Puroland

Once I finally (and miraculously) arrived, I stuck out among the crowd which was comprised mostly of young, Japanese families. Still, someone was always nice enough to offer to snap a photo of me, and as soon as I had my picture taken with Hello Kitty, I knew that everything was going to be OK. 


Maneki Neko Stand, Nakamise-dori, Tokyo


Hello Kitty with lucky black egg at Owakudani Natural Hot Springs, Hakone

I started Catsparella in earnest four months after returning from my trip, and haven't looked back since. What I like to describe as my "Lost in Translation" moment, opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities outside of a cubicle, and inspired me to live a more passion driven life.


Maneki Neko sign, Takeshita-Dori, Harajuku District, Tokyo


Philosopher's Path, Kyoto

While traveling across the country, I experienced the wonders of Mt. Fuji, cherry blossoms in bloom in Kyoto, and walked the streets of Harajuku's famous fashion district. I went to Nara park where you can feed the roaming deer, visited the world's largest bronze Buddha statue in Tōdai-ji, and can tell you firsthand that there's nothing more liberating in the world than getting buck-naked in an onsen (hot springs), thousands of miles away from home, with a bunch of people you've just met. 


Store sign on Philosopher's Path, Kyoto


Cats in Kyoto

If I ever get the opportunity to return to Japan (and hope I do), my updated itinerary would include more Hello Kitty attractions, cat cafés, and a visit to Stationmaster Tama at Kishigawa Line in Wakayama. I also hope to someday make a pilgrimage to the famous Tashirojima (Cat Island), where the feline population outnumbers the human one.

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Know of any cat-themed travel destinations, or have any cool kitty vacation pics to share? Drop me a line at catsparella@gmail.com!

Around The World In 80 Cats #27: Japan

Around The World In 80 Cats #24: Fuerteventura

Kathy, a longtime reader (who still hasn't adopted me despite my pleas), has once again taken an amazing cat-themed vacation with her family, this time to Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

On her trip, she encountered some of the gorgeous feline natives, and also discovered a wonderful charity dedicated to helping the neglected and feral cats of the island.


TingTong, a friendly Siamese belonging to the neighbours.

She writes:

The three of us went for a do-nothing holiday to Fuerteventura (one of the Canary Islands) during our daughter's half-term. All we wanted was some sun, warmth and to swim in the sea. We rented a villa on the eastern coast of the island, near the airport. It was lovely and we had a great time, just what we needed.  


Scary, the other friendly neighbour cat.


Dracula

The neighbours were an English couple who had lived on the island for nine years. They were very helpful to us and gave us a lot of information about the island and what we could see and do there. They also had FIVE cats. All of them were cats that had been abandoned by their owners and had been very thin before they came to live with this kind couple. Our cat-mad girl was in Cat-Heaven!


Ray


Bitey

The lady was associated with The Twinkle Trust which is a local organisation that is involved with cat rehoming, neutering, feeding and their general care. Also, if a cat is white they try to arrange for them to be shipped back to England because these poor kitties could suffer from sunburn! Some towns have Cat Cafe's maintained by the Trust, but these are not like those of Japan. These are just dog-house-like structures where stray cats can come for food, water and shelter from the sun.


A cute sleepy cat who we found lounging in Betancuria.


A Siamese we found near the beach. Our girl was convinced it was TingTong but he would never have travelled that far from home.

Two of the five cats were very friendly and regularly came over to to be petted and fussed over. Three of them had Halloween-appropriate names; Scary, Dracula & Bitey. Scary and Dracula were completely black and Bitey had a white 'bib'. One was a ginger marmalade cat (Ray) and the other was a Siamese (TingTong). Scary and TingTong were the friendliest.


An unusually coloured and beautiful cat we saw on a bench near Morro Jable.


Just managed to catch a photo this one sneaking around at an outdoor restaurant.

I've included some photos of the neighbour's cats and some other cats that we saw on our travels around the beautiful island of Fuerteventura. Had I been faster with the camera there would have been several opportunities to photograph many other cats. As I said, it was heaven for cat lovers…they were everywhere!


Saw this sweet cat right on the beach.  He was friendly and allowed me to get several photos of him.

Special thanks to Kathy for sharing her vacation photos with us this week! It looks like I just have one more destination to add to my "cat travel" list!

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Know of any cat-themed travel destinations, or have any cool kitty vacation pics to share? Drop me a line at catsparella@gmail.com!

Around The World In 80 Cats #24: Fuerteventura

Felines Rule At Cats Republic Cafe In St. Petersburg

(Click here to watch if video doesn't load)

St. Petersburg, Russia, home to the famous cats of The Hermitage Museum, also houses a different kind of feline attraction, in the form of a cafe filled with kitties.

Cats Republic follows in the tradition of Japanese cat cafes, where patrons pay a fee to hang out with cats while enjoying beverages and snacks. Employee Anna Chugunova says that the cafe got its name because its residents are "free and independent cats who cannot be forced to play or be carried around if they don't want to."

All visitors "crossing the border" into Cats Republic must apply for a visa, and have their height measured in cats. The cafe also features a feline-themed library and exhibit area, along with a gift shop.

Cats who live/work in cafes are typically well cared for, and visitors must abide by strict rules to ensure their happiness and safety. There are now over 40 cat cafes in Japan, and the trend has also been spreading across Europe, where the first cat cafe in Vienna opened this spring. 



Via The Daily Mail

Felines Rule At Cats Republic Cafe In St. Petersburg

Around The World In 80 Cats #21: Korea

Elle and a friend visiting Cat Attic cat cafe in Gangnam

Liz Lorini aka Elle/Miss Kika is not only a super talented illustrator (I featured her Pretty Persian Parfait print last year), but she is also a cat lover who shares my obsession with all things cute. Last year, Elle moved from San Francisco to Seoul, Korea with her fiance, Nara, and started a blog to document her experiences living abroad.

Cute In Korea has become one of my favorite reads because of its focus on cute culture, including everything from fashion finds, to reviews of kitschy cupcake shops, hamburger joints, and cute cafes. Recent posts have enlightened me about Dunkin Donuts in Korea (did you know that they sell bubble tea and Pop Rocks covered donuts there?), and to the popularity of items such as black cat slippers and cat-themed cup lids to keep your drink warm.

Of course, real life kitties also make an appearances on the site, including the famous Jetoy Choo Choo cats, and Elle's own cat, Milk (There's also a sweet post where she finds a cat in the park and makes Nara call the owner to make sure he's not lost).

She recently wrote, "Where do you go if you love cats, but can’t have a pet OR just like being a crazy cat lady for the day?" The answer, of course, is to a cat cafe! She explains that because homes in Korea are so small and not everyone is able to have a pet, they visit cat cafes to spend quality time with kitties.

For the post, Elle and her friends visited Cat Attic, a chain cat cafe (yes, such things do exist!) located in Gangnam.

She writes:

"I love cat cafes in Korea, but I especially like Cat Attic because the animals are always happy and well taken care of, in fact often the owners are on the floor playing with the cats when we visit because they sincerely love cats too. They have a nice amount of kitties at each location, usually several fancy breeds like Russian Blue, Persian, Sphynx, etc which are always fun to interact with, but also a mix in of adopted cats which is nice.

The cat cafes are always VERY clean, the drinks are good, no stinky smells, and lots of toys and built in houses and towers for the cats to climb."

It's obvious by the comprehensive list of rules above that the safety and happiness of the cats is #1:

*Do not pick up the cats, they can sit in your lap, but they have to climb up on their own.

*If a cat is sleeping, do not disturb him.

*Do not pull the tails.

*No flash photography.

*Do not disturb them if they are eating.

*Do not feed them any human food, only cat snacks which you can purchase at the counter.

*Do not pet the lower back by the tail.

*If the cat has a colored collar on he is new or on medication, and you can not feed him snacks.

*Do not be loud and obnoxious! This is meant to be a peaceful place.

*Do not use your personal items or things like the drink straw to play with them, they provide toys.

Click here to read the entire cat cafe post for more pics and info, and be sure to check out Cute In Korea and Miss Kika to keep up with Elle's awesome artwork and excellent adventures abroad!

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Know of any cat-themed travel destinations, or have any cool kitty vacation pics to share? Drop me a line at catsparella@gmail.com!

Around The World In 80 Cats #21: Korea

The Cat Came Back! Matilda Returns To The Algonquin Hotel After A 5-Month Absence

'Matilda' the hotel cat is back - New York Post

After a five-month absence, Matilda the cat has reclaimed her rightful title as Directfurr of Guest Relations at The Algonquin Hotel in New York City. The hotel, which has hosted ten resident felines since 1932, shuttered its doors on Jan. 1 for an $18 million renovation.

The cat's road back to the hotel has not been an easy one. Controversy erupted in November when a complaint to the New York City Department of Health yielded new regulations against the 4-year-old Ragdoll, who formerly had a full run of the fancy lobby. She was reportedly leashed behind the front desk for a day, before being fitted with a vibrating collar to keep her out of food-related areas. Word has it that the Algonqueen isn't too happy with the new arrangement, but hotel staffers, including her executive assistant, Alice de Almeida, are confident that she will adjust.

Matilda, who has lived at the historic hotel since being rescued from the North Shore Animal League in 2010, spent her well-deserved time off in Queens with de Almeida, her husband, and their three cats, Spitz, Buffy and Skipper. The diva didn't exactly get along with her feline housemates, although de Almeida tells The Post, "But she was given the best room in the house. It overlooked the garden.”

Welcome back, Matilda!

Via New York Post

The Cat Came Back! Matilda Returns To The Algonquin Hotel After A 5-Month Absence

Around The World In 80 Cats #4: Iceland

(Bill Ward's Brickpile)

On the rocks along the waterfront in Reykjavik

I've been reading a lot about Reykjavik lately (ok, maybe just a post on The Hairpin about it), but it seems like the purrfect travel destination to me. I mean, who wouldn't want to float around the Blue Lagoon, experience the Northern Lights, and hang out in a charming city where the streets are lined with...cats?

Cat sitting on a cemetery wall in Reykjavik

Lisa recently wrote in to share her experience vacationing on the Nordic European island, and confirmed its feline-friendly status:

"When my husband and I travel, we always try to find at least one cat to photograph. In 2006, we honeymooned in Reykjavik, Iceland, and were AMAZED at the number of cats everywhere. (I've attached a photo I snapped of a cat sitting on a Reykjavik cemetery wall.) Cats are very popular! I've heard (though I don't know if this is accurate or not), at one point, it was illegal to own a dog in Iceland. As a result, cats became the default pet. Today, you can have a dog, but cats still remain very popular."

(It's unclear to me whether it was ever truly "illegal" to own a dog there, but certain breeds were banned and ownership laws were made very strict, thus discouraging dog ownership.)

There aren't any specific cat-themed tourist destinations to visit in Reykjavik (besides you know, the whole city), but while you're there, you'd be wise to stop by the Grai Kotturinn (''the grey cat'') for breakfast. You (probably) won't see any real kitties in the basement bookshop-cafe, but rumor has it they serve "fluffy Icelandic pancakes smothered in whipped cream and rhubarb jam" that are definitely worth the trip!

(S I G U R)

"Probably an upper class downtown cat, well fed, well breed, and with royal blood."

(katebrown)

Cat napping in a tourist shop

(bobtravis)

Out for a stroll

(Patrick Gage)

Reykjavik is a city of cats

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Know of any cat-themed travel destinations or have some cool kitty vacation pics you'd like to share? Email me at catsparella@gmail.com!

Around The World In 80 Cats #4: Iceland