London’s Cat Cafes – ‘feline’ like a new experience? (2023 update)

We aren’t ‘kitten’ you when we say we’re ‘cat-atonic’ about the cat cafes we’ve visited already in the likes of Thailand and Japan, so we thought now would be the ‘purrfect’ time to check them out in London, our home city. Whilst cat cafes in London are very few and far between, possibly because of the controversy surrounding cat cafes in some sectors, there are several kitty cafes to choose from in the capital each with rigorous rules and procedures for interacting with the cats.

So ‘paws’ for thought right ‘miaow’ (sorry, this is the last one, promise!) with our lowdown on London’s cat cafes:

4 best London cat cafes

1. Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, Shoreditch London

London’s very first cat cafe (opened in 2014), Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium offers a cavalcade of cats in a cavernous Wonderland two storey setting, overlooking Bethnal Green Road in east London.

Named after Alice’s small red kitten in ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium is home to a menagerie of rescue cats and offers a selection of hot drinks and snacks such as toasted sandwiches as well as a full afternoon high tea service.

Like any reputable animal cafe, this cat cafe in Shoreditch (and close to Bethnal Green) has its own house rules including no picking up the cats (stroking is fine) and no young children, which is very different from the cat cafes we’ve visited in Asia and probably a good thing.

The basic admission fee starts from £15 excluding food or drinks, and your time in the cat cafe lasts for a maximum of 90 minutes. If you’re on a budget and already in the area anyway, you’ll often get a free glimpse of a kitty or two in the front window (a LOT goes on Bethnal Green Road so the cats are probably curious).

Afterwards, head to nearby Brick Lane to grab a bagel or explore Bethnal Green Road itself, a wonderful part of London and one of the city’s most diverse neighbours, with incredible food and a vibrant arts scene.

Standard entry Friday – Monday (food and drink are not included)
90 minutes: £20 per person entry fee. 1 hour slots for £13.50pp (limited availability)

Weekday special Tuesday – Thursday (food and drink are not included)
90 minutes: £15 per person entry fee. 1 hour slots for £10 per person entry fee

Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium opening hours and address

OPENING HOURS: Open daily 11am to 5pm

ADDRESS: 152-154 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6DG (closest station is Shoreditch Overground station).

WEBSITE: www.ladydinahs.com

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2. Whiskers & Cream, Holloway London

North London is now home to a new (ish) cat cafe, Whiskers & Cream, with several resident kitties including brothers Jack and Jasper, Molly Rose the tortoise-shell and rescue cats Archibold and Winnie.

Located on Holloway Road itself, this London cat cafe offers afternoon tea (including vegan and vegetarian versions) and lighter sweet treats like pastries and cakes.

All visits at Whiskers & Cream are timed to be 90 minutes maximum and include one drink, with the basic package costing £11 per adult (additional food and drink can also be purchased). If your time with the cats goes too quick, you can extend your stay by another 30 mins for £3.50.

However, if you want to indulge and enjoy prosecco with the pussies (although they generally prefer milk), afternoon high tea with unlimited prosecco is available for £46 per person – this really is a little slice of heaven tucked away in Holloway.

Rather fittingly, Whiskers & Cream’s Holloway location is close to the reputed route of Dick Whittington and his trusty cat when they returned to London via Upper Holloway.

Near to the cafe, you can see various associations to Dick Whittington including a topiary of his cat in nearby Whittington Park, a small mural plus the Whittington Stone, a monumental stone and statue of a cat from 1812, at the foot of Highgate Hill in Archway.

Whiskers & Cream Holloway opening hours and address

OPENING HOURS: Open 10am to 5pm weekdays (closed Wednesday), Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5.30pm

ADDRESS: 593 Holloway Rd, Archway, London N19 4DJ (Closest station – Upper Holloway Rail Station).

WEBSITE: whiskersandcream.com

3. Java Whiskers Cat Cafe, Westfield White City London

A new cat cafe in London for 2022, Java Whiskers Cat Cafe opened in December (good timing for a Christmas present for cat lovers in London).

Billed as ‘…Europe’s finest cat cafe’ and open daily from 10am to 10pm, given the location, this is the purrfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the shops and stores located in Westfield White City, Shepherd’s Bush.

With a Cat Lounge and Kitty Lounge indoors and an outdoor seating area offering a sneaky peaky of the cats indoors, this is one London cat cafe you won’t want to miss. All pussy cats are available for adoption too.

Food and drink available at Java Whisker Cat Cafe at Westfield White City includes savoury and sweet treats like filled bagels and cakes, plus a choice of hot and cold drinks.

Prices for Java Whiskers Cat Cafe at White City London (Westfield) start from £14.99 for a 55 minute session in the Cat Lounge if you book in advance or up to £24.99 pp for a 1 hour 55 minute session. The Kitten Lounge prices start from £19.99 per 55 minute session going up to £29.99 per person (!!) for a 1 hour 55 kitten session. Drinks and food are on top.

Java Whiskers Cat Cafe Westfield White City opening hours and address

OPENING HOURS: Open 10am to 9pm (Monday – Saturday), 12pm to 6pm (Sunday)

ADDRESS: Westfield White City, W12 7HB (nearest stations are White City and Shepherd’s Bush)

WEBSITE: javawhiskers.co.uk

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4. Java Whiskers Marylebone, London

Opened in late 2020 and the closest cat cafe to London’s popular tourist mecca Oxford Circus, Java Whiskers Marylebone is a two storey cat cafe. The basement is home to a Kitten Lounge whilst the ground floor hosts their Cat Lounge.

All of the cats at Java Whiskers Marylebone are homeless cats and are available for adoption.

Prices for Java Whiskers Cat Cafe Marylebone start from £14.99 for a 55 minute session in the Cat Lounge if you book in advance or up to £24.99 pp for a 1 hour 55 minute session – the Kitten Lounge prices start from £19.99 per 55 minute session going up to £29.99 per person (!!) for a 1 hour 55 kitten session. Drinks and food are on top.

Java Whiskers Cat Cafe Marylebone opening hours and address

OPENING HOURS: Open 10am to 9pm (Monday – Saturday), 12pm to 6pm (Sunday)

ADDRESS: 105 Great Portland St, London W1W 6QF (nearest stations are Oxford Circus, Goodge Street and Great Portland Street)

WEBSITE: javawhiskers.co.uk

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