Purr Cup Cafe — Restaurant in Raleigh

For anyone who's ever been to any other cat cafe before (I've been to 3 other cat cafes in 3 different states besides this one), you'll find that the setup feels familiar and totally reasonable. You can come in to the main space for free for delicious coffee/tea drinks (with unique seasonal offerings), tasty microbrews, and all vegan treats, but if you want to spend time with the cats you need to book time in the separate cat-space (no, this business does not have cats free-roaming all over the place, that would be bad for food safety, for the employees, and for the cats!). This is actually a step up from the cat cafe in South Carolina my partner and I went to that had a $20 flat entry fee just to come inside the building at all.

There are benches for outdoor seating where you can enjoy your drinks and snacks and this place also has outdoor events/vegan food trucks sometimes (you can prolly check their social media pages or website for upcoming events).

I haven't booked time inside the cat space itself, but as with any cat cafe, you should be prepared for the possibility that you might just come at a time when the cats are feeling more sleepy than playful (happened when i went to a different cat cafe in the early evening one time, and was no fault of the cafe, as cats are living beings with their own fickle schedules!).

When I've come to just enjoy the cafe aspect on its own/hang out at a couple of their outdoor events, the space has always been clean, the cats (as seen thru the big glass window) have always seemed happy and well cared-for, the offerings have been tasty, the employees have always been polite (I've complied with this business' request to wear a mask ofc), and I've enjoyed the assortment of cute kitty-themed items for sale. Oh and there was plenty of free street-parking available.

Overall a great spot with a wonderful mission (they've found homes for over 200 cats so far in the 2 years...

UPDATE: Looks like they’ll be limiting kids under 8 to certain slots! I hope this helps!

I adore this place! It’s very cozy with delicious drinks, a fun little souvenir shop, and adorable cats that the staff clearly care about. The staff are extremely welcoming and I felt safe being on a first date with another woman.

However, on my most recent visit, we were in a room with a family that had two kids (one I’d guess 5-8 and the other 8-12). Unfortunately, they were poorly behaved, not to the point that they were harming the cats, but harassing every single one within the first ten minutes until even the social ones had to escape them. I understand that not everyone knows how to act around cats (especially young children) and the children had no ill intentions. I also know staff wants to limit how much they go in and out from the room

However, it made it so we had no cats to interact with for 50 minutes. The price is extremely reasonable so I don’t feel cheated or anything, but it was disappointing. I definitely want to stop by for a drink and souvenirs for gifts, will not go back for the full experience unless it’s a private booking.

HOWEVER, I think there could be a solution. I think they should try having at least one weekend spot reserved for adults 18+. I would come back for the full experience in a heartbeat if that happened and I know others would too.

I guess it might cause some issues, but one hour a week seems fair. It could help adults looking to adopt see more cats. (Also it’d be nice for going out on dates or trips or hanging with adult friends, since the room is cozy and you have to keep yourself from saying “heck”)

Anyway, this is a great place and I still recommend it, especially for booking the entire room for you and others...

Upon walking in, this coffee shop immediately felt like a home away from home.

My girlfriend and I shared a pastry with a resemblence of a at-home baked twix bar. It was very fluffy and creamy at the same time. It was delicious. I had the vietnamese coffee and from my girlfriend's memory, she had the "Calico" caramel latte. I loved both of the drinks. Neither was too sweet or too strong.

The two baristas were very kind and very knowledgable about the kitties. This coffee shop has a tiny store, all kitty themed items. Some of these items are a tiny bit overpriced for a regular store, but this feels just right for a small business, and I will happily support small businesses like this. I purchased a bumper magnet with an unbeatable price tag of $9.75.

The atmosphere feels like youre at your best friends house, and they just happen to have cats. All of the kittens we met today were very cute. Every one of them had there own personality. Travis, the orange cat, was the nicest orange cat I have ever met. He relaxed in his orange chair with his sushi roll. Nala and Bobby were very cute kittens, we had just been in for their nap time.

At the end of the day, this has been the best date my girlfriend and I have had. I highly suggest this place for any cat loving couple. It would be a fantastic place to do school or career based work on a laptop for an hour and having the time...