Benefits of a Cat Lounge
Have you noticed the popularity of unique coffee shops and animal lounges suddenly rising around the world? Tokyo, London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and New York, just to name a few major cities, have been introducing cat cafes, bunny lounges, and even owl cafes! There have been recent openings of cat lounges and cat cafes in Honolulu as well. There are many reasons why people love to play with cats! Did you know there are many benefits of visiting a cat lounge? Here are the five benefits of visiting a cat lounge near you!
1. Cat Therapy for Humans
If we are being completely honest with ourselves, we can agree that humans get an emotional benefit of being around innocent, cute animals. There are infinite studies that prove it is highly beneficial for us to be around cats. Playing with them for an hour will reduce stress and anxiety, increase happiness and productivity, satisfy our bonding needs, and so much more. With the increase of technology and social media use, we are as disconnected as we have ever been with the physical world around us. Bringing a friend or arriving solo to a cat cafe will bring us back that connection we are currently missing.
2. Cat Adoptions Increase
Most cat lounges in the United States are partnered with a local cat shelter that rescues animals, provides them with their staple needs for good health, then makes them available to adopt. There are estimates that the feral cat population on Oahu is close to 400,000. Imagine the additional amount of kitties that are born during kitten season each year. Whew, that is a lot of furry friends on the island! Honolulu animal shelters, such as Hawaiian Humane Society, Kat Charities, and Cat People of Oahu, have rescued an abundance of cats that need medical attention and provide a temporary shelter until they find a forever home. As the amount of cat lounges increase, there is more space being made for additional cats to be placed at these shelters.
3. Human Therapy for Cats
There are arguably more perks for cats to be lounging around with us all day. We have all heard the cliche that cats are “unsocial”, “keep to themselves”, or know of cats who hiss at every person that comes close to them. There is some truth to this, yet where does this come from? Generally, this stems from not having enough positive human socialization. Being around a variety of adults and children can affect the entire life of a cat, which is why it is immensely positive for cats to interact with many types of people before going to their permanent family. Just like humans, the mental health benefits we mentioned above almost mirror those of cats.
4. Something New to Do
We are always looking for new things to do in our area. Cat cafes and cat lounges are simply a unique and fresh activity that people and families of all ages can enjoy. Many of us cannot have our own cat in the home, and can play with sweet kittens periodically for our “cat fix”. Furthermore, people who already have cats may look to expand their family or just want to play with other fur babies.
5. Find The Perfect Companion
When looking for cats to adopt, it is important that we take the time to make sure their personality and energy are suitable for our family. If cats are placed in cages or crowded shelters, their personality may not blossom as it would in a spacious and comfortable facility. Cat cafes give kitties, both outgoing and shy, the environment they need to become who they are. This way, when us humans visit them, we get an understanding of who they are during our playtime together!
*Pounce Tip* Spending the entire hour playing with each kitty in the cat lounge will ensure that you and the cat have received all of the benefits mentioned!
