Cat cafes across the UK should be “phased out”, leading animal welfare charities have said.
The RSPCA and Cats Protection have called for the move following a surge in these businesses, which allow customers to interact with cats and even adopt them.
The charities say that the cafe environment makes it “almost impossible” to meet the welfare needs of the cats, as they may be stressed by forced proximity to other animals and strangers.
RSPCA cat welfare expert Alice Potter said: “While cats, cake and coffee might be a happy combination for people, for the cats living 24/7 in these cafes it’s likely to be a very different story.
“We don’t believe these environments can consistently provide cats with a good quality of life and are hugely concerned that many cats will be unhappy as a result.”
Ms Potter added: “Generally cats are not sociable, and many felines often prefer to live without other cats, or prefer to form social groups with their relations.”
There are currently more than 30 cat cafes licensed in England – with about 44% of those licences issued in the past financial year.
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Both charities believe that many more cat cafes may be operating without oversight or regulation due to unclear legislation.
Cat cafes inspected by local authorities are licensed under rules concerning the keeping or training of animals for exhibition.
The RSPCA and Cats Protection says refusing to issue new licences – and not renewing old ones – would ensure these cafes are gradually phased out.
Ms Potter said: “Cats in cat cafes are essentially being used for entertainment – and are often licensed as such – so we are concerned that they are paying the price for this by having a poor quality of life.”
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Daniel Warren-Cummings, central behaviour officer for charity Cats Protection has said that cats often “hide the signs” of stress.
He said: “Some cats adopt a strategy of feigning sleep when they are stressed, leading consumers to mistakenly assume they are simply resting.”
However, others feel that the cafes should not be phased out entirely, and would benefit from stricter monitoring.
Lauren Pears, owner of Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium in east London, said: “Some things I would look for in a reputable cat cafe include age limits, restrictions on capacity and dedicated cat care staff.
“Observing how the industry has grown over the years, I feel that entrepreneurs wishing to open a cat cafe should be required to hold or acquire animal husbandry qualifications in order to open a business like this to ensure they understand the welfare implications of their decisions.
“I welcome regulation and scrutiny of the industry.”
