The Early Word on Texas' First Cat Cafe

Texas got its very first cat cafe with the debut of Blue Cat Cafe in Austin last month. Founder Rebecca Gray opened the cat cafe after launching her Kickstarter campaign in February, which was successfully completed in April. Since it opened, the cafe has undergone slight changes. There are new hours, and reservations are no longer recommended or required. Read on for the early word on Blue Cat Cafe.

The cats — Plenty of cats has been adopted since the cafe’s debut in October. Dog-loving blogger Hipstercrite found the presence of the felines soothing, and she was "happy to surrender to their charms." Yelper Karen G. described the space with "happy kitties prowling around, aloofingly [sic] walking through eager petting fingers." Carine Martinez on Facebook loved the "quality time" and "experience" of "the power of the purr."

The smell — Set aside any fears of strong cat scents, thanks to the cafe’s intense ventilation system and separate cat litter room. The Austinot was impressed that "no smells hung in the air." The air purification structure was even good enough for those allergic to cats who still decided to visit the cafe. One such person was Yelper Dawn C, who was able to hang out for an hour which, "to a person with a cat allergy," is "huge."

The atmosphere — Despite people, children, staff, and cats running around, Yelper Eric E. said it was "a great work-space." On Facebook, Karly Rivers appreciated the setup with chairs and couches, which she found "very relaxing and fun."

The food — Guests were mostly unhappy with the vegan-only options from the Blue Cat Cafe’s food truck. "Reheated Costco food," was how Yelper Julie C. described her meal. Others called for more non-vegan options. There were, though, still some fans. Omnivore Yelper Hannah M. "loved" the vegan hot dog.

The coffee — The coffee and vegan cream options received the same feedback. Some loved it, like Emily Dhondt on Facebook and her "delicious" vanilla soy latte. Others hated it. On Facebook, Inez Lily Coul called it "repulsive."

The food service — Along with the menu, diners weren’t too happy about the long waits and ordering system. Yelper Soubhi K. waited a while for food and "start[ed] to get a little frustrated." "The service pulls away from a tradition[al] cafe and is a little confusing," Mitchel English Jr. explained on Facebook. Yelper Timur T. didn’t like the waiter structure, where indoor guests had to place and pay for food orders from the outdoor truck with a server, but pick up dish and drink trays from a separate door themselves. He described it as "a real hassle."