Cat cafés are my new obsession. Yeah, I know, I’m kinda late to the party, but better late than never. It combines two of my favourite things in the world: cats and desserts. What’s not to love? There is only one cat café in Amsterdam called Kopjes. Last weekend I decided to go hang out with the cats and eat a slice of cake.
The café
The décor of the café is cute and quirky and all about, you guessed it, cats. I’d say it’s even a little bit over the top to the point where it’s cheesy, but it works. The café is also a heaven for cats. What I mean by that is there are tons of equipment and toys to keep the felines busy. From the cosy sleeping baskets in windows sills to elaborate towers and ‘cat trees’, scratchings posts to private tunnels. These cats have it good!
About the cats
Right off the bat, I loved this cat café. Why? For starters, all the cats at Kopjes are rescues. They come from two animal shelters in the city, Stichting Dierenleed and Dierenopvancentrum Amsterdam. Once abandoned, these cats now have a new home where they are loved and cared for. There are currently seven cats at Kopjes.
Top tip: As you enter the café, there’s a mustard coloured couch. This is the place to sit because it’s Horus’s favourite spot. If you are lucky like I was, he might just jump on your lap and snuggle with you.
The rules
I like the fact that Kopjes has rules because it keeps the cats safe and comfortable. First off, you have to disinfect your hands before you enter the cat area. Secondly, don’t feed the cats. That’s kind of a no-brainer for me. You are not allowed to pick up and carry the cats. I think this is a great rule because I can just see that one kid who is going to chase after the cats and carry them around like ragdolls. But that’s not going to happen here. No flash photography. Also, if the cats are sleeping, you are not allowed to bother them. Lastly, you have to pay an admission fee of €3 per person. I suppose this is rather unusual, but all the money goes towards caring for and feeding the cats, so I have no problem paying it.
What’s on the menu
Eating something at the café is just icing on the cake. The real treat is spending time with the cats. But if you want to enjoy something, you can expect to see a variety of drinks, cakes, and snacks on the menu at very reasonable prices. I can only recommend what I had, which I highly recommend btw, the fresh mint tea and a slice of red velvet cake. Yum! The service is great too.
Make a reservation
Yes, you have to make a reservation in advance. The café restricts the number of people and only allows a maximum of 20 people at any given time. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and the café was full (all the time slots were filled). They had to turn away people who showed up without a booking. Perhaps if you plan to visit during the week, a reservation is not necessary. But make one just to be on the safe side. It’s easy and only takes a minute. You can make your reservation online here.
My verdict of Kopjes
If you haven’t already guessed it, I loved everything about this café. From how Kopjes is run to the lovely cats to the food. As a bonus, the café also located in a beautiful part of the city. If you’re in Amsterdam, you love cats and you wanna do something a little bit different, then head to Kopjes. I cannot wait to visit again.
I’ll leave you with last thought: Adopt don’t shop!
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