Charity calls for boycott of cat cafe's that see animals being stroked

Paw things! Charity calls for boycott to curb Taiwanese cat cafe craze that sees animals being stroked ‘whether they want it or not’

• Cat Protection said it wants to see cat cafes ‘phased out’ in the United Kingdom

Charities are calling on animal lovers to stop visiting cat cafes.

Cats Protection has said it wants to see cat cafes ‘phased out’ as its records suggest there are now more than 50 operating, or soon to open their doors, in the UK.

The craze for cat cafes is thought to have begun 25 years ago in Taiwan, but they became more associated with Japan, and are now hugely popular around the world.

The charity says cats living in noisy cafes have no place to escape from unwelcome human contact, and many are under extreme stress from being around a changing population of other cats.

In the worst cases, they are stroked and picked up constantly as they try to sleep, and show signs of anxiety like not eating properly or over-grooming.

Charities are calling on animal lovers to stop visiting cat cafes. Pictured: File photo of cat sitting on a café table 

The RSPCA is also calling for people not to visit cat cafes and for them to be licensable under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations for England. Pictured: A cat being stroked at a cat café

The RSPCA is also calling for people not to visit cat cafes and for them to be licensable under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations for England.

Daniel Warren-Cummings, behaviour officer for Cats Protection, said: ‘From a cat welfare perspective, it would be a very good idea if cat cafes were phased out.

‘These cats are indoor-only and have no outdoor space where they can retreat from human contact or the noisy chatter of a cafe.

‘While some cafes are very good, with signs telling people not to approach cats when they are sleeping, of course some people who have paid money to go to a cat cafe will want to stroke a cat – whether the cat wants to be stroked or not.’

The craze for cat cafes is thought to have begun 25 years ago in Taiwan, but they became more associated with Japan, and are now hugely popular around the world. File photo of a woman stroking a cat at a cat café 

Cats are highly territorial, and most of their stress comes from being with other cats, according to animal welfare experts – especially when those cats are not their siblings.’

Samantha Watson, scientific officer at the RSPCA, said: ‘The RSPCA is concerned about the welfare of cats in cafes, which for many are likely to be a significant source of stress.

‘At present, most cat cafes are not licensed under the animal welfare provisions or covered by those standards and so we would encourage people not to visit them.

‘Instead, we suggest cat-lovers consider volunteering with a cat rescue organisation.’

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