What does ‘cat café’ mean?

A cat café is short for a cat coffee shop — generally a themed café that keeps a fair number of cats on the premises so guests can pet them while relaxing. The defining feature of a cat café is the ability to interact with cats: the cats are usually free-roaming and can move around the shop freely, and guests can pick any cat to play with.

Keep in mind, though, that cat cafés draw large crowds, and if a visitor is carrying germs this can easily threaten the cats’ health, so you should disinfect your hands before entering.