June 4, 2021 -  Since its opening in 2017, Cat Caffe's mission has been to provide all cat lovers with a cozy place to sip at their favourite drink surrounded by felines going about their day in the background. Need a catpuccino to wake you up? Fancy starting the happy hour with a glittery catmopolitan? Zagreb's first cat caffe has it all.

Croatia's first cat cafe opened only 5 years after Takako Ishimitsu introduced the concept to the Austrian public in 2012. And they loved it. There are currently over 60 cat cafes in Europe, and 2 years after Zagreb, in 2019, Osijek also got its very own cat haven. The pioneers of the cat cafe movement in Croatia were spouses Maja Mudrovčić Garvan and Domagoj Garvan. Delighted by the idea of giving the people a place to come and relax in the presence of cats, they persevered in the face of Croatian bureaucracy which never before had to issue permits and licences for a cafe which doubles as an animal residence. To the excitement of Zagrebians, Cat Caffe opened its door in October 2017 at the address 6 Kušlanova Street. 

Almost half a decade later, Cat Caffe has become a home to a dozen cats. Its initial residents - Frieda, Poussey, Big Boo, Flaritza, Crazy Eyes, Taystee and Nicky got their names after the characters of the show Orange Is the New Black. All cats who live in Cat Caffe have been officially adopted from Fauna, an animal rescue shelter in Kutina by Maja and Domagoj and have been neutered and through the process of socialization. 

In Cat Caffe, everything revolves around putting cats' needs first. There are double doors at the entrance to prevent the cats from wandering off into the street and a safety net on the terrace. As soon as you enter, you'll be greeted with a list of rules to follow during your stay. It's forbbiden to touch the cats when they are eating and sleeping. It's also prohibited to pick the cats off the floor and other surfaces and take photos with your camera's flash on. The rule of thumb is to wait for cats to make the first move. If they are in the mood for a cuddle, they will make their wishes known. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy your drink - there is a variety of positively mouth-watering options with intriguing names and lots of sparkes and glitter.

Patrons are invited to stay as long as they like - there are even board games you can play during your stay and, most recently, cat-themed merchandise ready for purchasing.

Cat Caffe is truly a shrine raised in the honour of cats - the walls are graced with cat illustrations and sayings and there is a special resting area where cats can relax after a busy day of observing the visitors.

Care was taken with every detail - even cups and teaspoons bear the design developed together with a local artist. Unfortunately, some people like it so much that they decide to play dumb and take it home with them, something which has been happening a lot recently and has forced the owners to monitor security cameras even more closely. So, if you decide to go for a drink, look, but don't touch (or take with you) anything without permission. When in doubt, follow the cats' lead - don't do anything a self-respecting cat wouldn't do.

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January 31, 2021 – The planned cafes protest in Zagreb and elsewhere, which was due to see 100 facilities open their doors on Monday 1st February in defiance of the current ban on their operations, has been cancelled. Huge fines and the threat of prison are the reason for the climb down. Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Coric appealed to caterers for patience.

The proposed Zagreb cafes protest organised for Monday 1st February has been cancelled. The protest was due to see some catering facilities and gyms open their doors to the public in defiance of the current nationwide ban on operations in such facilities. Around 100 businesses were said to be joining the Zagreb cafes protest.

"Although it has been rumoured that more than 100 caterers in Zagreb will open their facilities on February 1, mostly cafes, or at least start issuing coffee and drinks outside, despite the work ban, it does not seem this will (now) happen, as many have withdrawn after seeing all the consequences that could befall them if they do, " Franz Letica, president of the Zagreb Caterers' Association, told Hina by telephone after the meeting.

On Friday 29 January, the Association of Caterers in Zagreb announced the opening of at least 100 bars and Croatian cafes would open on Monday. An informal meeting of caterers, many who were due to take part in the cafes protest, took place on the afternoon of Saturday 30 January. It seems that at the meeting, plans for the cafes protest fell apart. Caterers had faced the possible punishment of fines - from 20 thousand kuna to 70 thousand kuna - and up to three years in prison for defying the law and opening during the cafes protest.

Petra Odobašić, the owner of a catering facility from Zagreb who attended Saturday's informal meeting, also confirmed to Hina there would be no mass opening on Monday, but that only a dozen caterers would continue with the cafes protest. This handful of establishments were described as being situated mostly in the Dubrava area of Zagreb. Around 80 caterers attended Saturday's informal meeting, mostly from Zagreb, but some from other areas such as Karlovac.

Appearing on Croatian television on Saturday 30 January, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Coric appealed to caterers for patience.

"We hope there will be (patience)," he said when asked about the proposed act of defiance, "given that we have explained the epidemiological situation we are currently in. We need to think about the season - spring and summer - this will be the time when we can all reap the fruits of responsibility together."

A great new place for a cup of coffee or a night out with friends.

Lavishly designed cafe, located at Vlaška 78, (re)opens its doors to the public.