The 2 cat cafes in New Mexico make for purr-fect places to soak in some kitten cuddles.
Cafes are great places to enjoy a caffeinated drink, have a snack, and catch up with a friend or get some work done. Lately, they’ve also become a great place to play and interact with adorable cats and kittens. The first-ever cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998 and started with five cats brought off the street and into the cafe, giving visitors the opportunity to pet and play with the cats while visiting.
Cat cafes have grown in popularity over the ensuing decades and continue the tradition of caring for at-risk cats and kittens. Many cat cafes, including the ones located in New Mexico, operate as adoption-focused shelter areas, sort of like a large foster home for the animals, and oftentimes partner with local animal sanctuaries and shelters. Reservations, which are required at many cat cafes, come with a fee that ranges between $10 and $14 per hour in New Mexico, and goes toward taking care of the cats who call the cat cafes home.
While they typically don’t have a wide-ranging menu, operating as a cafe is also an important part of each cat cafe’s business model. Cat cafes serve as places to grab coffee or tea, and many also offer food items like pastries or pre-packaged snacks.
While cat cafes are an exceedingly popular business in many parts of the world, including places like Japan and Taiwan, they’re still catching on in New Mexico. But the Land of Enchantment does currently have two locations where visitors can grab a tea or coffee and spend some time cuddling with kitties, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Here is everything that you need to know about the two cat cafes in New Mexico.
1. Catopia Cat Cafe
Address: 8001 Wyoming Blvd., Suite C-5, Albuquerque
Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays, closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
Cost: $14 per hour
When Catopia Cat Cafe founder and owner Sandy Dierks was at a career transition point, she thought maybe she would start fostering animals. She’s been pretty successful at it. Dierks opened Catopia Cat Cafe in 2019, and the Albuquerque-based cafe has fostered more than 2,000 cats in the years since its opening, before the resident cats are adopted into forever homes.
The cat cafe serves tea, coffee, soda, and pre-packaged snacks, as well as cat-themed merchandise. Catopia Cat Cafe has partnered with several animal shelters and organizations, like High Desert Cat Rescue and Adoption and Bernalillo County Animal Care Services, to help rescue at-risk cats.
Walk-in visitors are welcomed, but Catopia Cat Cafe recommends making a reservation before stopping by. The cat cafe is open Fridays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with reservations priced at $14 per hour. The fee goes toward providing the cafe’s feline residents with food and care.
All of the cats at Catopia Cat Cafe are available for adoption and have received medical care from one of the cafe’s animal welfare partners.
2. Santa Fe Cat Cafe
Address: 1221 Flagman Way, Suite B5, Santa Fe
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: $10 for a 50-minute session
Over the past year, the Santa Fe Cat Cafe may have changed its name from the Turquoise Teapot and Cat Cafe, but everything else has basically remained the same. The business first began operating under the new name last year, when it was purchased by current owners Ashley and Conor Maguire.
The year before, father and daughter Barry Bruner and Carrie Reyes founded the cat cafe; both are cat lovers and wanted to create a space where they could support local animal rescues, like Felines & Friends. The founders built the cafe as a gathering place where people could grab a drink and interact with adoptable cats.
After changing the original name to Santa Fe Cat Cafe, the Maguires kept the business going as usual. In just two years, the cat cafe has continued working with rescue partners, including Nine Lines Rescue and Espanola Humane, and has helped place more than 230 cats into their furr-ever homes.
While Santa Fe Cat Cafe allows walk-ins, it recommends that visitors make a reservation online before visiting. Visits to the cafe’s cat lounge cost $10 for a 50-minute session and are available for all ages. For visitors looking for a quiet place to work while still being able to hang out with the resident cats, the cafe’s upstairs office area can be booked for $12 per hour.
The cat cafe is open every day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and sells coffee and tea, as well as food items like pastries and oatmeal. It also offers monthly and annual memberships so you can interact with the cats on a regular basis.
