On this magnificent day, Los Angeles' very first cat cafe opens. No more crawling around on the sidewalk with treats trying to get feral cats to come out from underneath parked cars, no more standing wistfully in front of the adoption cubicles at Petco, no more hanging out with your friends' cat in the corner at parties. (Oh, like I'm the only one who does these things.) Now, there's a place where you can play with as many as 15-20 adoptable kitties at a time, all while drinking a delicious beverage in a clean, chic spot that you don't have to vacuum for cat hair afterwards.
Crumbs & Whiskers, originally based in Washington D.C., pre-opens their L.A. location at 7942 Melrose Ave. today at noon. This means that there are a series of special events and parties, which will cost you $200 to attend with a guest. However, the cafe will celebrate its grand public opening on Friday, September 30. You can start making reservations online for 75-minute blocks at a rate of $22 starting September 27.
We stopped by yesterday to check out the space and pet some cats. Food and drinks are available via Crumbs & Whiskers' partner, Open Space. The menu consists of teas, hot chocolate, coffee and espresso drinks, all priced between $3 and $5. Obviously, they are calling their cappuccino a "cat-uccino." Food items consists of cookies and biscotti, but no savory items (because the cats would try to steal them). Because the health department does not allow food or drinks to be prepared in the same area as the animals, guests will place their order and then an employee will run out and retrieve it.
The space is brightly lit via street-facing windows, and has a concrete floor, perfect for dangling one of their many cat toys across. Seating is available at a number of tables as benches, as well as a big, fluffy cushion near the window. There are plenty of spaces for cats to hide and play, as well as shelving units for them to jump on, as they are wont to do. Apparel and other cat-related merchandise is also available for purchase, and should you take a liking to a particular cat, you can see about adopting him or her.
Crumbs & Whiskers is located at 7942 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles,
