Get Cosy at India’s 2nd Cat Café in Delhi: Catsville Le Café

Get Cosy at India’s 2^nd Cat Café in Delhi: Catsville Le Café

Meghna ‘Phoenix’ Ghatak

If you are a cat person living in Delhi or perhaps visiting Delhi and have time to kill, visit India’s second cat café – Catsville Le Café.  A 15 minute auto ride from Hauz Khas metro station, alighting at Deer Park and then a 10 minute walk will take you to 29 A, where on the 2^nd floor rest tabby cats of all hues. 

After paying an entry fee, one has to tackle the escape artists at the door to enter the ‘meow zone’ fitted with mazes and bridges, scratching pads and sleeping pods. Eager noses sniff you closely as you make your way towards the sofas and seats to silently squeal at their multicolored cuteness.  The cats willingly play with the stuffed mice scattered everywhere and enthusiastically chase the spring toys directed by you. While most customers darted around the cats bouncing off the walls, the quietest members of Team Pawcept found solace in petting kittens nestled in cat houses. It’s a delight to look at them run through the bridges and stare outside the glass windows, or be curious about danglers on your body or bags. Like clockwork, they eat, play, sleep and then repeat.

Every cat living in the ‘meow zone’ since its inception in October 2019 has a story of their own. For example, Choi was abandoned by a couple about to get divorced; Sunehri and Musafir were dumped in a dustbin of Delhi University’s North Campus and discovered by students. Theo came from a hand raiser after his mother refused to care for him while Fifi was born of an epileptic cat and nobody wanted her. Above the meow zone is a boarding for cats where people can leave their felines when they went for vacations, however many a times pet parents never came back. Palki, Frieda and Sylvia are just a few of the many cats left behind in the rescue zone. Above the rescue zone is a cafe/ restaurant that will soon be open to events such as open mics, speakeasy, stand ups, solo dining, co-working space etc. Currently, customers can order a few basic beverages and edibles after cuddling with the cats downstairs and also buy cat treats, food, carriers and toys as they leave through the reception area.

Minty Sodhi along with her friend Vrinda not just rescue special needs cat and provide them with treatment but also rehabilitation, for otherwise even vets lose their wits to even look at them. The cats kept in the meow zone are ‘trained’ to interact with humans and frequently sanitized so as not to infect any customer. More rescue cats live in her house and are completely adoption ready. After dreaming about this three-floor initiative for nearly two years, leaving behind a lucrative career in the software industry and spending all her savings for the cause, Minty acquired the property after much trials and trepidation to promote a cat friendly culture. She plans to have quite events every weekend in the cafe, which is a noise free zone and invite kids to take part in cat cuddling programs, where they can read to cats, paint them etc.

Visitors are instructed not to carry eatables inside and end up feeding them or giving them an escape route by stressing them out by emitting loud noises. One has to remove their shoes and use sanitizers before interacting with the felines. This set up is similar to India's first cat cafe in Mumbai, Cat Cafe Studio which opened in 2010. Hence the rules are there to ensure that you have a good time as the cafe is already successfully attracting cat lovers globally and is exclusively - an hourly delight.