Catoro Cafe — Restaurant in Vancouver

I’ve been visiting Catoro since they first opened and every single experience I’ve ever had is amazing! Lovely staff, great drinks and best of all - the best cats!!! I love playing with them and getting to know them through their profiles. They’re all super well taken care of - you can truly tell how much the staff love these kitties. I love that staff can answer literally any question about any one of the cats and they really know them like their own. They are also all well fed and clean with obviously clean litter boxes to use too! The first time me and my boyfriend visited, we tried to adopt a cat named Sweetie. The staff informed us he was super popular and had a ton of applications put forth for him and was already pending adoption. We applied anyway and our application was rejected but it never stopped us from coming. We’ve got our own kitty now but I still visit because of how welcoming, clean and cozy the space is and how truly happy all the cats are :) the price is really affordable too knowing the city they’re trying to stay alive in whilst having to continue purchasing supplies to care for the cats. I will note that I’ve been scratched here before and given warning bites from cats but I’ve never viewed this as a poor reflection on the cats or Catoro. Cats will be cats and it’s to be expected that there’s a chance you could get hurt - my own cat bites from overstimulation, I don’t hate my cat for it, I just give him space - You also literally sign the rules and policy agreement before coming in and if you actually read it, you’ll know what to expect. These cats are rescues and it’s common sense that they wouldn’t all have ample human interaction. There’s zero animal cafe in existence that can stop you from getting hurt by the animals. Respect them and their space, be gentle and remember that they don’t all want to be touched. Like humans, they need space too and have their own feelings and emotions. Again, none of this is a reflection on the business itself, always be cautious and go in expecting that you MIGHT get swatted or bit - it’s not ideal but it’s normal! You can’t always have your Snow White fairytale moment. This business acts as a foster for all of the kitties that come through. They have no control over which kitty gets adopted out to who and we’d never hold that against them. If it’s meant to be, it literally will be. I can’t rave about this small business enough and am hopeful that they’ll keep pushing through this rough economic climate, providing the utmost care and love for these cats on their journeys to finding their furrever homes :) you guys are doing something truly amazing. Pics from my most recent visit!

The only other feedback I could give is to possibly lower the capacity during each time slot. It does get very busy sometimes which is to be expected, but it would likely foster a calmer experience between the cats and humans by not having to rush over to cats to have your turn playing with them or overcrowding them. Sometimes it can feel like a competition to see the kitties/spend time with the ones that are out. You can also sense when staff sometimes have their off days but...

Very disappointed. It was promising but it is very different in reality.

It didn't start well. I booked for 65min but they changed my reservation for 30min without telling me. Didn't appreciate it but they had problems with their system few weeks ago so I thought it was okay for a first try. It's new so it's worth to not stop on this and give them a chance.

A venue so small should not welcome so many people at the same time. It's already a mess at the entrance, but the room where you remove the shoes gave me anxiety. We were like sardines in a can, I could not reach the sanitizer for the hands until other guests were already going inside.

The forest is so much smaller than what it looks like on the website. The flip flops we have the obligation to wear were not really clean, as opposition to the whole place being super clean.

Photos are supposed to be welcomed but it is so dark it's not possible, I had to rise the ISO to 1600, it was hard to get a nice result. At the same time, there is a room where you can see cats through a window with a bright light. Very disappointing, the place was so promising I was excited to take pictures. Not worth it. Not even mentioning the lack of respect from other people. It was too noisy. Cats are cute but please, try to calm down for everyone's sake. They all rush to the cats, not leave them alone when they need it. Too many people trying to pet the same cat. At one moment, everybody was grouped in one corner so I tried to go at the other side of the room to shoot one portrait of a cat so quickly 3 persons came between the cat and the camera which is why I don't really have good pictures to share. I used a zoom lens to not disturb the cats by being right to their face.

Staff is nice but the person in the room was not reactive enough. I saw one woman waking up a cat, then taking a toy from a cat's mouth. It was shocking. One cat, Pineapple, was angry. He grunt at another cat, then at the same woman. The employee reacted a little bit late (with cats you have to do it right away, one minute later is too late) just to say with a sweet voice "no Pineapple. No bite" The cat already moved on.

It felt like an overcrowded zoo. I guess there are more cats but hide in the staff only room, which is highly comprehensible. Between the small space, the dark and the crowd, it was more oppressing than relaxing despite the atmosphere created by the lighting and the cute decoration.

Only my opinion but I think the cats need more places to climb, especially because there is not much room to run around.

In these conditions, I feel like I wasted 8$ and 30min. With smaller groups of visitors, I could try to come back one day.

To compare with the Catfe, I thought the Catoro was better in theory but didn't enjoy the experience in real life. I hope this review will help to improve, we'll see in few months if they made changes to make sure everybody have a good time, the guests and the cats.

It is important to note the Catoro cafe is in a Zero waste style and this is very appreciated, thank...

It was a wonderful experience being at the Catoro Cafe and I really couldn't be more pleased. The room with the cats is very aesthetically pleasing with the cutouts of trees and forest vibe that create a relaxing atmosphere. Lighting in the room is good. There are a number of ways to interact with the cats at your choosing with an abundance of toys that you can use to catch some of the more playful cats' attention. I was in a group of ten for 30 minutes and have to say that the smaller group sizes helped make the experience more intimate as there was always a cat available a person could pet on their own at any one time. There was no need to bring your own slippers after taking off your outside shoes as they have plenty available as soon as you walk in.

The staff was exceptional and the briefing at the beginning was short, friendly, and to the point taking place in the room with the cats. Staff was open and willing to have conversations with customers regarding the cats such as their names, where they came from, and tendencies. There are plenty of resting places and platforms for cats to sprawl on and they are all well groomed and clean. The cat room did not smell at all which I appreciated. Nearly all of the cats were receptive and very chill around people allowing you to pet them or massage behind their ears. About 12 cats were available to pet in the room and they varied in colour from white, grey, black, two-toned, and more.

Overall, you leave Catoro Cafe with a sense of calm and is a great way to relieve stress by hanging out with the beautiful and charming cats! I would highly recommend this experience to anyone already fond of cats or those who just want some time to get away and relax. It was my first time visiting and from the kind staff, serene atmosphere, and friendly cats, Catoro Cafe well exceeded my expectations. The staff is receptive to any feedback and said they are always looking to improve the experience for their customers. I would certainly visit again sometime soon. Thank you,...