WASHINGTON — If your idea of purr-fection is sipping freshly brewed cups of coffee while cuddling with kittens, you鈥檙e in luck: A new business wants to turn that dream into a reality.
Although cat caf茅s have long been popular in countries such as Japan and Taiwan, the craze is just catching on in the U.S. The country鈥檚 first cat caf茅 opened in Oakland, California, in October, and in December, Manhattan welcomed The Meow Parlour.
And if Gaithersburg resident Kanchan Singh has her way, D.C. is next on the list. She鈥檚 working to open the District鈥檚 first cat caf茅, , this summer.
Singh, 24, first heard of the cat caf茅 concept while she was backpacking through Thailand last year. The self-proclaimed animal lover says the idea of visiting with cats in a coffee-shop environment intrigued her, so she decided to check it out.
She never imagined her visit to a cat caf茅 would wind up being one of the highlights of her backpacking adventures. Now, she wants to share that experience with other Washingtonians.
Not sure what to expect from a cat caf茅? Singh recently chatted with 91欧美激情 about her upcoming plans.
What鈥檚 a cat caf茅? It鈥檚 pretty much exactly how it sounds
If you haven鈥檛 heard of a cat caf茅, there鈥檚 no need to dig around for a definition. It鈥檚 pretty much exactly as it sounds: a caf茅 where people can play with cats. In the U.S., however, the caf茅s are a bit more limited than the ones in Asia, since U.S. health laws prohibit caf茅 owners from having animals in an establishment that makes and serves food.
鈥淒on鈥檛 envision something like Busboys and Poets, because that鈥檚 really not what it is,鈥� says Singh, a University of Maryland alum and former management consultant. 鈥淏ut it is somewhere where you can kind of hang out, get a cup of coffee and also be in the company of cats.鈥�
No, you can鈥檛 bring your own cat to the caf茅
While cat caf茅s all operate a little differently, Singh says, most do not allow you to bring your own cat. 鈥淭hat could get a bit chaotic,鈥� she says.
Rather, cat caf茅s typically partner with nearby shelters to bring in cats that are available for adoption.
鈥淚f you came into the cat caf茅 and there was a cat that you really connected with, you could adopt that cat and you could take it home,鈥� says Singh, who plans to partner with the Washington Humane society for her business.
They’re also a place where animal lovers who can鈥檛 have pets can spend some time with furry companions.
鈥淵ou either have a pet or you volunteer at a shelter if you want time with a pet. And there鈥檚 really no in between,鈥� says Singh, who adds that she hopes Crumbs and Whiskers provides that middle ground.
Legally, it鈥檚 tricky to have cats in a caf茅
While some consider the combination of warm drinks, baked goods and fluffy animals ideal, the Department of Health isn鈥檛 as keen on the idea of animals hanging out in a business that serves food.
Singh says when she first approached the Health Department, officials told her the idea was illegal, and they were reluctant to talk with her. But she didn鈥檛 give up.
鈥淓ventually, you kind of don鈥檛 go away and you keep bothering them, and they realize they have to at least acknowledge you and your idea and work with you,鈥� she says.
Now, the Department of Health is working with Singh on a few different ideas. For starters, officials told her if she wants to open the cat caf茅, she could do so with two completely different, but adjacent, storefronts.
Singh doesn鈥檛 love that idea, though. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like the idea of my customers walking in and getting their food, walking back out and then walking in to another door [to play with cats],鈥� she says.
She鈥檚 also exploring whether a 鈥渃omplimentary鈥� model might work, like a clothing store that sets out cookies and lemonade for its browsing customers.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not something the Department of Health oversees because 鈥� they鈥檙e not preparing food; they鈥檙e not serving food; they鈥檙e not changing for food — they鈥檙e just being nice hosts,鈥� she says.
The Health Department has yet to approve this approach. If they do, Singh says, she will likely charge a cover fee to offset the cost of offering free food and coffee, and reservations for a visit will need to be booked ahead of time.
Either way, Singh predicts she will partner with an existing bakery to make and deliver items for the caf茅.
Scouting locations for Crumbs and Whiskers
In a recent interview with , Singh refused to reveal details on a potential location for Crumbs and Whiskers. Shortly after the article ran, published an upcoming agenda for the Board of Zoning and Adjustment, which showed that Singh placed an application for a location in Georgetown at 3211 O St., NW.
But Singh still won鈥檛 confirm plans for her location.
鈥淲hat I will say is that is a location we are looking at. And yes, obviously we have a zoning hearing for that, but there is no lease that鈥檚 signed, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 really not confirming anything,鈥� she says.
However,聽one thing is certain: Singh, who has four cats of her own, wants Crumbs and Whiskers to be in the District.
鈥淚 just think it鈥檚 a better fit for D.C. than it is for any kind of suburban area where you have families, you have bigger homes, you have people who have pets,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think that the need for a cat caf茅 is in a place where fewer people can have pets. And that would definitely be a city.鈥�
If all goes according to plan, Singh hopes to have the cat caf茅 up and running this summer. For now, her focus is on launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the business and navigating the legal issues — which, she says, takes so much time she had to quit her full-time job. 鈥淚t was that crazy lifestyle of 80-hour weeks and traveling every week 鈥� And now I鈥檓 doing a cat caf茅.鈥�
