Felius has been the only cat cafe in Nebraska since 2019. Here’s everything you need to know about it, from pricing to how it works and why it’s so important.
If you’re looking for something to do in Omaha that’s off the beaten path, you need to dial into the cute cafe scene that’s popping up all over the city. More specifically, you need to consider visiting Felius, Nebraska’s only cat cafe since its opening in 2019.
The very concept of animal cafes has exploded in popularity over the last decade. There are cafes featuring cats, capybaras, and more across the globe, and many are purely for entertainment and tourism purposes. However, in the U.S., cat cafes are typically established to help local feline friends get adopted.
The concept is simple: Pay to hang out in the cat area, sip on your favorite drink, and bask in the presence of all the feline kings and queens in the room. Guests’ admission fees go toward maintaining the facilities, and some guests will hopefully fall in love with the cats and choose to adopt them. But don’t worry if you’re not looking to adopt; visitors who just want to adore the kitties are welcome, too.
With this general explanation out of the way, let’s zoom in on Felius and take a look at how special Nebraska’s sole cat cafe truly is.
Where is Felius, and when is the cat cafe open?
Felius is located in northern Omaha at 5015 Dodge St, Suite #101. It shares a street with myriad cafes and restaurants, but you can’t order a delicious latte in the company of cats at any of the others.
Felius is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, and is closed every Monday. Some special events run in the cafe after it closes in the evening, but more on that later!
Felius’ story: A phoenix rising after the COVID-19 pandemic
Felius opened its doors in Omaha in 2019, hoping not only to bring people together but also to increase cat adoption rates in the area. “Honestly, it started with a simple frustration: I loved cats, I wanted to help them, and I kept seeing the same problem in traditional shelters; cats stuck in cages, stressed out, and overlooked in favor of dogs when it came to community attention and resources,” Felius owner Bre Phelan tells us.
The planning period for Felius lasted for roughly a year and a half, according to Phelan, who was confident that this cat cafe would take off if it could just draw people in. “I knew if people could just meet these cats in a real, relaxed environment instead of through a shelter kennel, it would change everything for them,” she says.
But as we all know, early 2020 slammed the brakes on the world. Food establishments were generally able to stay open throughout lockdowns because they were considered “essential,” but there was one key issue with Felius: The facility was full of cats, and no one knew in the early days whether our feline friends could contract the virus.
So, Felius temporarily shut its doors not long after opening. “During that time, we moved all our cats to foster homes and kept our rescue running while our physical cafe sat empty,” Phelan explains. She adds that the cafe received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the government to keep Felius afloat. But more than that, she says, “Omaha showed up in a huge way through donations, attending virtual events, and continuing to adopt from us.”
Luckily, that effort from Phelan, her team, and the community paid off. Six years later, Felius is doing better than ever. “The bounce-back honestly exceeded what I imagined. We’ve grown every year since, both in the number of cats we’re able to help and in how engaged our community is,” the founder tells us.
What makes Felius so unique?
The beauty of Felius is twofold: The cat cafe has actually built community in big ways, which is no easy feat, and it’s helped over 1,900 cats get adopted by putting them on display in the cafe and allowing guests to mingle with them.
Speaking of this community, Bre Phelan tells us, “We have a network of over 300 volunteers and foster homes that are vital to our success and donate their time and homes to the cats that we serve.” Of course, the communal feeling of Felius extends to the visitors. “We call our community the ‘Felius Family’ for a reason. Our volunteers, adopters, donors, and regulars genuinely show up for each other and for these cats,” Phelan adds. She says that past adopters continue to visit for years after taking a cat home, and the regulars have built interpersonal connections among themselves, as well as with Phelan and her staff.
Visiting Felius: everything you need to know
Hooked on Felius yet? If so, it’s time to visit, and we’ve got all you need to know to make your trip a success. First and foremost, you should know that reservations are your best bet at guaranteeing access to these precious kitties. The cat cafe can only hold so many people at once, so booking a time slot online is preferred.
That said, walk-ins are accepted if there’s space open—you’re just not guaranteed a spot. The owner recommends reserving a spot a week in advance to be safe, as the cafe often maxes out its capacity on the weekends and days around big holidays and community events. Reservations can be booked here.
Felius reservations come in four options: 30 minutes, one hour, two hours, and three hours. These reservations cost $10.70, $19.26, $32.10, and $48.15, respectively. The money earned from these reservations keeps Felius’ lights on. “Every cup of coffee, every reservation, every visit directly funds our work,” Phelan says.
To make the most out of your visit, Felius asks folks to arrive about 10 minutes before their reservation time. The cafe also asks that visitors park in Felius’ designated parking spots so that the surrounding local businesses aren’t disrupted.
When you arrive, you need to sign a liability form, which is standard with cat cafes. You can sign this online before you arrive, but you can also sign it in person. Then, you can order a special drink and settle in for a sweet time.
A look at Felius’ menu
Unlike some other cat cafes that only serve hot coffee and tea, Felius is actively expanding its coffeeshop menu to really put the “cafe” in “cat cafe.” On this, owner Bre Phelan tells us, “We started really listening to what our customers were asking for, and it pushed us to expand beyond our traditional coffee offerings.” Indeed, you can order everything from espresso-based beverages like lattes, americanos, and cappuccinos to loose-leaf teas, dirty sodas, matcha lattes, and chai lattes, among other delicious drinks. You can even order beer and wine at Felius if you want to really relax.
Naturally, we asked Phelan what her favorite drink is, and it made our mouths water. “My personal favorite right now is a latte made with our house-made rosemary syrup. It’s this perfect balance of sweet and savory that I can’t stop ordering,” she says. She also emphasizes that guests are welcome to embrace Felius’ experimental approach to coffee flavors and techniques: “If you don’t see exactly what you’re craving, just ask. They’re always happy to create something just for you.”
Special events at Felius
As we teased earlier, Felius holds many special events. These include those at the cat cafe, as well as pop-up events hosted by Felius at other venues. For instance, cat yoga often appears on Felius’ calendar, and in late September 2026, the cafe will pop up at the Waterloo Library, selling merch and showing off the cats to the community.
In addition to these smaller events, Felius throws an annual Black Cat Gala, which will land on Oct. 22 in 2026. “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and helps us continue care for rescue cats, providing educational programming, and free community services,” owner Bre Phelan explains. The event is Halloween-themed, cashing in on the iconic symbolism of black cats, and described as equally “spooky” and “elegant.” Ticket holders will be treated to yummy party bites, special cocktails, and more as they mingle, dance, and admire the cats. Tickets for the gala cost $150 per person and can be purchased here.
A particularly admirable trait of the Felius team is its willingness to try new things in the name of connecting people. Felius has worked with many local businesses, nonprofits, and community members in its past events, and it’s always open to new ideas. “If a local business or nonprofit has an idea for working together, we would love to hear it,” Phelan says, noting that interested parties should reach out to info@felius.org. “Some of our best programming has come from someone simply asking ‘What if we did this together?’”
A second cat cafe is coming to Nebraska in late 2026
For the last seven years, Felius has been the only cat cafe in Nebraska. However, a new one called Stray by the Bay is set to open in Lincoln in late 2026. Note: Stray by the Bay is unaffiliated with Felius, as confirmed by Bre Phelan in our interview.
This new cat cafe’s building has been under renovations, so an exact opening date hasn’t yet been announced, but you can follow the cafe’s Facebook page to stay updated. While you wait, you can even check out Stray by the Bay’s pop-up events to meet the folks behind the burgeoning business.
