Victoria Rose : Mog On The Tyne Cat Cafe

Today I had the pleasure of visiting Newcastle's very first cat cafe and I thought I would take this opportunity to blog about it for those that are curious and want to know what it's like!

I had seen this publicised all over Facebook, since the idea first came around and so I have been following its progress for a while now. The idea originated in Japan, where there are many cat cafes dotted around for those who lead stressful and busy lives and who wish to have a cat of their own but who can't for whatever reason. This is the perfect solution for people who love cats but who can't have one. So for those that adore cats as much as I do, this place is heaven! For most people living in the city such as I do, the idea of having a cat is just a dream due to the fact that most landlords will simply not allow pets. Having recently moved into an apartment with my partner, we are facing the same problem.

The cat cafe has only been open for two days now and I was fortunate enough to book online early to secure a place on the second day of it being open. You must book beforehand, as the cafe can only allow up to 20 visitors at one time! You pay £5 entrance fee which goes towards the wellbeing of the cats and you get an hour time slot in which you can enjoy a coffee and a slice of cake, panini or soup and enjoy the cats playing and occasionally coming over for cuddles. There are a set of rules to follow in which you have to take your shoes off before entering and you can't wake up sleeping cats or pick them up, it's also good to know that it's closed between 3-5pm for the kitties to have a rest and they also have a playroom hidden away downstairs incase they get bored of visitors.

Stan the man

Playing with the kitties

I really enjoyed seeing all the cats and playing with them, there are 11 in total and they all came from Westgate Ark Cat Sanctuary located nearby so they are all rescued cats. Whilst I love each and every one of them, I think the stars of the show are Stan and Tinks. Tragically, Stan was hit by a car and had to have his jaw wired so his tongue hangs out of his mouth, but despite his trauma he is such a character and seems to rule all the other cats. I had seen Tinks when I visited the Westgate Ark Cat Sanctuary and was tempted to adopt her, but then I saw that Mog On The Tyne had rescued her so now I can visit her all the time!

Me and my mam at the cafe

I believe they call him Jaffa

They have a range of cats of all ages, colours and temperaments, though most of the kitties are sociable and enjoy playing or having their heads scratched, apart from Stan who prefers to play it cool and oversee the proceedings from a distance. They also have plenty of toys and climbing frames to keep them busy and entertained! The cats definitely take priority over guests in the cafe, and if there are cats resting on seats then they must not be disturbed. All of the cake sold comes from Pet Lamb Patisserie and we tried the lemon drizzle cake which was delicious! I found it especially cute when the kitties came up to me and jumped up on the table or came over to see what I was eating and Stan was hilarious by attempting to run into the kitchen whenever the door opened or just sitting next to people staring at them. I could literally spend hours sitting here as it's so therapeutic and the minute you walk in, you forget about the outside world!