Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Tea or coffee, meow? Rio cafe combines lattes with cats

by Reuters

Jul 14, 2021 - 9:52 pm GMT+3
A cat looks at a cappuccino at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A cat looks at a cappuccino at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
by Reuters Jul 14, 2021 9:52 pm

Whether you have had a long tiring day or are on a vacation somewhere, every now and then you are likely to find yourself heading toward a cafe to meet friends or enjoy a cup of coffee by yourself. You have the usual list of items on the menu: the precious tea, the must-have coffee, et cetera. However, if you're lucky you will end up at the Gato Cafe in downtown Rio de Janeiro, which is offering something unique and unexpected: whiskers with a calming, cute purring soundtrack.

In its pink-walled interior, customers can purchase lattes dusted with cat silhouettes and accompanied by paw-shaped biscuits while cats lounge lazily in an adjacent room.

A cappuccino with an image of a cat is pictured at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A woman looks at a cat at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)

Cat cafes were first popularized in Asia, where they originated in Taiwan in 1998. In addition to offering feline company, Gato Cafe, which opened last July, simultaneously functions as an adoption site for abandoned cats rescued by an organization called Bigodes do Bunker (Bunker Whiskers).

In 2019, there were over 78 million pet cats and dogs in Brazil, according to the Brazilian Pet Institute. As owners passed away and families were thrown into disarray during the coronavirus pandemic, many animals were abandoned or left to fend for themselves.

"There are more than 10 million cats without a home in Brazil, and I think that the financial difficulties wrought by the pandemic has unfortunately increased this number,” said founder Giovanna Molinaro, who was inspired to create the cafe after a trip to Japan in 2018.

A couple caresses a cat at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A cappuccino with an image of a cat is pictured at the Rio cat cafe or Gato Cafe, where customers can relax while adopting a feline, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10, 2021. (Reuters Photo)

"There are other cat cafes in the world, but here we are focused on the adoption and well-being of our cats,” she added.

Clarissa Haiut said she was having the time of her life as she stroked a tabby with white patches.

"I’m in paradise with all of these cats. I’m in love with them! It feels like I’m living in a dream full of kittens.”

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jul 15, 2021 12:52 am
    KEYWORDS
    animal archives cats cafes tea brazil animal adoptions
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Typhoon Goni kills 20 in Philippines
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021