From birthday cakes and croquettes for cats to places where you can carry out different activities in the company of these pets. The world of novel experiences to share with the kittens does not stop growing. Different associations for the protection of cats have been modernizing to attract lovers of these animals to their premises and offer them unique experiences.
There are more and more cafeterias where cats are welcome and some, known as cat cafes, are establishments dedicated exclusively to these animals. These six places are designed to make cat lovers fall in love.
Espai de Gats is a shelter and also a cafeteria that aims to raise awareness and promote responsible adoption. This association was the first to open a cat café in Barcelona, in the Gràcia neighbourhood, where you can surround yourself with cats while having your favorite drink.
The president of the association, the veterinarian Montse Grau, explains that she decided to undertake this new challenge six years ago with the aim of finding a permanent home for the cats that are temporarily "tenants" in the cat café and others that are still waiting. in protectors.
Grau's main challenge is to promote responsible adoption, to give visibility to adult cats that normally "remain invisible in shelters" and that they find a home "for life", explains the promoter of Espai de Gats.
The basic idea was an animal protection project that, as the veterinarian says, merged with the cat café to obtain resources that would allow the project to be self-managing. With the price of admission and drinks, they manage to maintain the premises and, above all, the food and well-being of their animals.
The association provides different educational workshops on living with cats, their care and feeding. The objective is, once again, to avoid the abandonment of these animals.
Currently, they have managed to get 288 adult cats to be adopted. For her, the most important thing is not the number itself, but that all these adoptions have been made consciously, responsibly and premeditated.
They offer other services such as the cattsitter, a home service designed to take care of pets when the owner is not there. A specialized caregiver travels to the home to take care of the cat, so that the stress that a change of home can cause is avoided.
Solo de Croquetas is a company that produces different artisan varieties of this food. Its new launch is special croquettes for cats that have been created in collaboration with veterinarians and are made exclusively with fresh ingredients suitable for cats.
The croquettes are made of tuna, potato, fish stock and salmon oil. Cats do not do well with fried foods, so these kibbles can be eaten raw or after heating them for 30 seconds in the microwave.
Each box contains 30 units and must be consumed within a period of no more than 48 hours, although they can also be frozen.
The company was created by Eduardo Gambero three years ago and distributes his croquettes throughout Spain. The idea was to make croquettes suitable for everyone, not just for humans. They are called "inclusive croquettes", because they make vegan croquettes, for celiacs, lactose-free and, now, croquettes for animals.
Gambero says that many times they felt sorry for the puppies that went to the store and they were entranced looking at and smelling the croquettes. It was then that they decided to seek advice from a veterinarian to help them prepare kibble for both dogs and cats.
The businessman states that there are normally more foods designed for dogs. As the special food for cats is more unusual and exclusive, croquettes for kittens have come to exceed online sales compared to those for dogs. Even so, he points out that they have been modifying and improving the recipe, since cats have a more demanding and sophisticated palate than dogs.
FeelWood is a company where they do handmade DIY. His creations are intended exclusively for domestic cats. They make all kinds of furniture: traditional beds, sandboxes, scratching posts and, most unusually, playpens.
Idoia Barot, founder and CEO of the company, explains that cats that live at home, unlike strays, do not need to look for their food and protect themselves from the dangers that surround them, so they tend to remain more passive when they arrive. to his adulthood. That is why the game is essential to maintain your physical shape, avoid being overweight and prevent behavioral problems.
Wall parks for cats not only allow them to rest in the heights (which they love), they also help to keep them active and stimulated through play.
At FeelWood BCN they design each product not only thinking about the needs of the cats, but also those of the client himself, either because of their way of life or because of the characteristics of the home.
CatSHOP Adira was born in 2016 from the need to create a space for cats for adoption in Barcelona. The initial idea was to create a different place, far from the typical animal shelter, where cats and humans felt comfortable and could interact.
To the initial plan to create a refuge, they added a solidarity shop inspired by the cat, with original gift items and handmade by local artists and artisans. The creators who exhibit in the store are mostly people who love animals or are sensitive to them.
Once the project started, they realized that it was essential to add a corner to relax and share experiences with other catlovers, having a hot or cold drink, like in a cat café, but in a space "more familiar and with its own character". what they call cat home cafe. They are proud that their cafeteria is more like a house than a bar.
To complete the project, they thought that this would also be a space where they could carry out animal-assisted educational interventions, where they could consult and hire services for cats or attend multiple types of events.
At CatSHOP Adira they offer a wide variety of recreational, educational, artistic or culinary activities. They do pilates, meditation and reiki always directed by professionals of these disciplines and supervised by a teacher. They also have a section aimed exclusively at boys and girls where they give workshops on storytelling, crafts or music to work on emotions. They also hold culinary workshops and vegan food presentations. The shelter cats are present in all activities. The participants know their stories and interact with them for the duration of the activity.
AtypiCake is a company that distributes cakes and cookies for dogs and cats. They distribute throughout the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
Susana Domínguez, CEO of the company, says that the idea for the project was given to her by her dog Paqui, who had many digestive problems when she came into her life. As a result, she decided to do a master's degree in animal nutrition; She went deeper into this field and ended up joining it with another of her hobbies, pastry.
Once AtypiCake was born, they decided to target both dogs and cats, which "usually have a more exquisite palate," confirms the pastry chef. In addition, cats often have a certain phobia of trying new products, if they are used to only their daily feed. Therefore, Domínguez considered that, since they do not have much of a food market, they should take a risk and propose these new products for them. "Despite the demands of our cats, they have received our products very well," explains Susana.
They can also customize both the cookies and the cupcakes to celebrate the pet's birthday.
Gatuari is a cat café, located in the Gràcia neighbourhood, which offers different activities than the usual ones in traditional cat cafes.
In this space, apart from being able to enjoy the cafeteria in the company of the kittens, you can do yoga with them. A relaxing and stimulating practice for the body, which combines very well with the silent presence of cats.
Every Sunday morning they offer an hour of hatha yoga where they integrate physical postures, breathing exercises and inner awareness work. The company was the first to offer this type of activity in Barcelona and seeks to promote both human and animal welfare. All the cats in the room are up for adoption.
