Crazy Cat Café — Restaurant in Gold Coast City

I'm going to preface this with praise, so anything going forward hopefully isn't taken out of context.

Is this a clean, safe cat cafe to visit and pet some adorable cats? Yes.

Are the staff friendly and courteous? 100%, yes

Are the cats gentle and friendly? Also, yes!

Here are my concerns,

I got gifted a VIP experience for my birthday, and my comments are as such

While VIP is a status paid for in privilege, having other visitors who have paid money to also visit the cats have the chance that a VIP would want to select 6 cats and take ones others might be enjoying the company of - I myself felt a bit odd wanting to randomly take cats from an area that had upwards of 3 people in it who had also paid to go in.

My second worry was that the room for VIPs was cold. The cats were either trying to sleep on my bag or finding the best spots on covered areas to be off the floor.

There were no water bowls in the VIP room. Three cats got up onto the benches and wanted the tap turned on for them after I'd washed my hands.

I was served food in there, there is no where to put food where the cats cannot access it thus forcing me to stand up and eat and any leftovers had to be thrown into the rooms trashcan as came to realise there was only one staff member working for multiple cats and customers all at once while looking after a business. I had to rinse the bowl well. Otherwise, they'd jump up to lick the salt out of it.

The treats for the cats came well later, and it seems like the cats should have had their treats first, and then my food should have come in after they had been sated.

The majority of the cats seem touch sensitive, as if they have been overhandled. I avoided bothering the ones who slinked away the moment your hand went near them.

I do worry if the cats have anywhere to escape the general public that also has natural light and windows to view out of or if the two rooms are the only options?

I'd like to make sure to say NONE of this is on the staff member working that day, unless they're the sole owner and proprietor, then maybe they should take heed - but I digress. The sole staff member on that day was amazing and wonderful and doing their best.

Other issues were: hot chips were like someone had bought hot chips and eaten their fill and asked if you wanted the rest, very overcooked and all the small bits from the bottom of a frozen bag.

Asked for a mocha, got given a hot chocolate.

Cat concerns: a lot of gunk in the cats eyes. I've owned cats all my life, so there is a difference between built-up and daily eye junk, but a lot of those cats need their faces wiped, teeth brushed, and better haircuts. Poor things with uneven cuts and long bits where other areas are cut.

Speaking of cat hair, every single brush in the VIP room was filled with cat hair - none were clean, so if you wanted to use one, you have to clean them to use them

How is that hygienic for anyone?

Again, I love cats and this isn't meant to slander this place- however the owners and management need to invest some time and money into some duty of care - especially if selling a VIP experience where the regular front room is more welcoming and comfortable le than the apparent VIP experience. Also, put on 2 staff members at least so one person isn't left to manage it all in the middle of Surfers Paradise at the beginning of the holiday season - or anytime at all?

I loved every single cat I met, cat tax pics...

I wrote this review over a year ago but forgot to send it off and thought the feedback could be helpful. I’m hoping things have improved since my visit…

As a cat loving couple, we really wanted to support this cafe but the main thing that really tainted our visit was the concern for the welfare of these beautiful cats. There were no staff supervising the cat lounge for the majority of our visit (they did pop in and out occasionally but nobody was constantly there).

This meant that we saw too many children (and irresponsible adults) left unsupervised, running around, poking and prodding the cats…and most upsettingly, trying to pick them up when they were either sleeping or clearly didn’t want to be bothered 😞 I had to tell a very excited child to be careful because their parent was oblivious to the fact that the cats didn’t want to be lifted at all, let alone incorrectly. It shouldn’t have been my job to do that - the situation should have been prevented before it even got to that stage.

We witnessed all this in just an hour so I imagine that these poor cats must be dealing with people like this all day. We found it extremely distressing to be around so many people that didn’t respect the cat’s boundaries & felt we couldn’t enjoy the experience because of it. It seems from other reviews this wasn’t a one off experience either.

I’m aware that this Cafe provides clear instructions, stating how to correctly pick up the cats and says to only do so if they want to be picked up…BUT my issue is that you really can’t trust everybody walking in the door to treat the cats with respect. Some people will unfortunately just ignore this advice and do what they want if left unsupervised.

Due to this, I strongly think the best thing going forward would be to NOT allow any guests to pick up any of the cats under any circumstances. I have been to a cat cafe previously (Java Whiskers in London) where they had this rule in place for the cat’s wellbeing and they seemed very content as they could still be petted but they weren’t constantly being picked all day by strangers. It was a lovely calming environment for both felines and humans to coexist peacefully and the cats seemed much happier than they did at this cafe.

Also, I think it would be useful to have one of your knowledgable members of staff present in the cat lounge at all times, observing and ensuring that everybody is abiding by the rules and not disrespecting the cats.

I am never one to write reviews like this so I hope this didn’t come off as too negative. I appreciate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes and I’m sure the intentions are in the right place. I thought that the constructive criticism and suggestions could help to improve the atmosphere for guests, staff… and most...

We came all the way from Perth to visit the Gold Coast and stumbled upon the Crazy Cat Café while walking around — we saw the sign and I knew instantly I had to go in! Sadly, the cat cafés in Perth closed down about five years ago, and I missed my chance to visit one back then. So this was finally my opportunity — and I wasn’t going to miss it.

My partner, my daughter, and I are all cat people through and through, but due to our work commitments, we can’t have a cat of our own. That’s why this experience meant so much to us — a chance to get all the cuddles we’ve been missing from these beautiful creatures.

Gaby S was absolutely lovely and kind — we couldn’t have imagined a better person to be front of house. You could immediately tell how much she genuinely cared for the cats, as if they were her own. She greeted us at the door, explained the safety rules (which I truly appreciated — I'm a huge advocate for animal welfare), and then we stepped into a feline wonderland.

The cats were clearly well cared for, with their own private “rest” area where they could retreat if they wanted a break. I loved that they had the choice — and that the focus was on respecting their space. There was a strong emphasis on appropriate behaviour around the cats, which I completely support. After all, we’re guests in their home. The café's no-tolerance policy for mistreatment was another big plus in my book.

I also really appreciated the personal touch of having the cats’ stories displayed on the walls. That’s often something missing in other establishments with animal encounters— but it makes a huge difference. Knowing their names and backgrounds helps create a real connection.

The space was filled with toys, climbing structures, and enrichment items so the cats could play, scratch, explore — and just be... well, cats!

Our 60-minute session flew by. I honestly wish we had more time to spend with them. I bonded especially with BUZZ — such a gentle, beautiful-natured boy. I even bought a mug with his photo on it to take back to Perth, just to remember the special time we had.

Whether you're after a relaxing coffee break while watching the cats, seeking some therapeutic downtime after a stressful week, know someone with special needs who could benefit from animal companionship, or — like us — love cats but can’t have one of your own, this place is absolutely worth a visit.

We’ll definitely be back!

Thank you so much, Gaby, for being such a wonderful host and an incredible human to these...