Looking for a side of cuteness with your coffee? Check out these four cat cafes in Minnesota for fluffy fun in the Land of the Lakes.
For anyone who’s ever spent even a minute online (and yes, that includes reading this article), you’re probably no stranger to cute cat pictures. In fact, videos of cat cafes circulate regularly on social media. And why not? For fans of all things feline, cat cafes are a great way to relax, meet some fluffy friends, and in some cases, even find a four-legged family member to adopt. Cat cafes are also a great way for people who can’t have a cat in their current living situation, or aren’t sure yet if they want one, to get some experience spending time with cats in a safe and relaxed setting with experienced animal handlers around.
But where to get your coffee, side of cuddles, in Minnesota? Well, there are a few options; in fact, there are four cat cafes across the state, to be specific. But what should you expect when visiting cat cafes in Minnesota? Do you need to book in advance? Are the “cafe” and “cat” aspects separate, or combined? And which one of Minnesota’s four different spots for caffeine and kitties should you book? Well, let’s have a look and find out.
1. Catzen Coffee
Location: 1416 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul
Proudly billing itself as “Minnesota’s first specialty coffee shop and cat lounge,” Catzen Coffee in Saint Paul is a cafe that’s known for exceptional work by both humans and felines in the Twin Cities. In the case of the humans, that’s through their cafe sourcing, which includes food and drink from local small businesses, like cheesecake from Cheesecake Funk and gluten-free pastries from Sift, as well as house-made drinks and sandwiches.
As for the felines? Well, it wouldn’t be Catzen Coffee without the cat lounge! Guests at Catzen Coffee are allowed to take their food and drinks into the cat lounge, or just visit the eight friendly Catzen Cats on their own for an hour-long cat experience. The Catzen Cats live onsite full-time, so you should be prepared that some of them may be in their living quarters, not the lounge, when you visit. Catzen Coffee is also a community hub that hosts regular events, like “X-Files Thursday” screenings, and needle-crafting get-togethers on Tuesday evenings.
2. Cafe Meow, New Hope
Location: 524 Winnetka Ave North, New Hope
One of two branches of Cafe Meow, the New Hope location is staffed by both human employees and cats from one of their partner rescues, Twin Cities Pet Rescue. You can meet these fine felines at the cafe, and if you find yourself torn at the thought of parting with one cat in particular, you can consider adopting them! If you’re open to a new furry family member and that sounds like something that might appeal to you, you can even check out the New Hope Cafe Meow cats on the Cafe Meow website before you go.
When you actually arrive at Cafe Meow New Hope itself, there are two separate spots for you to enjoy: the cafe and the cat lounge. Guests can come by for a coffee, then pay a small cover fee to meet and enjoy some time with the cats. If you’re not a coffee fan, or don’t have time for kitties on a given day, it’s also perfectly (purr-fectly?) okay to only visit one section of the cafe, especially as proceeds from the cafe will also help the cats.
Cafe Meow, Roseville
Location: 1718A Lexington Avenue North, Roseville
The other of the two branches of Cafe Meow, the Roseville location is also home to a variety of rescue cats for visitors to meet, greet, and potentially even adopt. Roseville actually has the larger cat lounge of the two locations, with up to 30 cats fostered there at any given time, thanks to rescue partner No Kitten Left Behind. As with the New Hope branch of Cafe Meow, you can take a look at the cats online even before you visit.
Both the Roseville and New Hope branches of Cafe Meow have separate areas for the cafe and the cat lounge, and both branches share the same cafe menu. The menu includes the “House Clawssics” as well as seasonal specialties. Year-round favorites include the Cafe Meow signature butterscotch white mocha, plus specialty coffees with cat-themed names, like the Norwegian Forest Cat cardamom latte. For simpler beverages, “Espurresso” drinks and “Kitteas” are also available.
Wired Whisker
Location: 1823 E Superior Street, Duluth
Started with a mission to promote “the purr-suit of happiness,” Wired Whisker is a cat rescue and cafe located in Duluth. Wired Whisker is a newbie on the Minnesota cat cafe scene, having only opened its doors in 2024. Today, though, the cafe and its feline associates are thriving! There’s a cafe and cat lounge, which are separate, with the cafe portion serving up tea, coffee, breakfast foods, and even specialties like cat-shaped “meowcaroons” and a variety of onigiri.
Like some of the other Minnesota cat cafes, Wired Whisker works to help adoptable Minnesota cats find homes and offers volunteer opportunities to work with them, as well as paid employment. As a visitor, you can expect to meet the Wired Whisker cats, either after grabbing a meal at the cafe or by paying a small fee for a 50-minute session in the cat lounge to meet and greet the adoptable kitties. Wired Whisker partners with multiple local rescues and has a page on the website that details the cats currently on site, including relevant details on cat personalities and what kind of homes the cats would be best suited to.
Wired Whisker also offers what might be considered the opposite of a cafe—cat-sitting! The Wired Whisker team includes experienced, feline-loving cat sitters who can be booked to watch your furry friend in your own home if you have a high-risk cat who needs to be watched over shorter time periods.
Whether you’re a veritable cat expert or more of a casual feline fancier, Minnesota’s cat cafes are full of furry fun for everyone. Drop in for a drink, a cuddle, or to meet your brand-new kitty!
