Meow Parlour: A Fluffy Refuge on the Lower East Side

You Put the O in Meow. Or Is It The Meow in O?

This story is dedicated to the memory of our beloved Pantera Azul, a not-so-wild African cat, who passed away two years ago today.

If you have Internet access, you have heard about Meow Parlour, the city’s first kitty cafe. It opened in December, and New York has opened its arms to a fluffy new experience on the Lower East Side.

What is it? Meow Parlour is simply a space where you can go hang out with cats.

Puddin’ is a puppycat

If you are someone who loves cats but can’t have one right now, like me, it is a wonderful place to meet, pet and play with kitties for 30 minute sessions. If you are looking for a cat to adopt, it is the perfect place to sit with them all and see which one purrs its way into your heart.

The capacity is 8-12 cats in the space at any given time. Unlike many of the cat cafes in Japan that feature expensive, purebred cats who are permanent residents, Meow Parlour is a showcase for rescue cats through a partnership with KittyKind, an admirable feline rescue organization. All the kitties in Meow Parlour are available for adoption.

On Wednesday evening, James and I visited Meow Parlour, and we fell in love, not only with all the sweet, sweet kitties, but with the whole concept and experience as well. You walk in, hang up your coat and take off your shoes. You squirt your hands with sanitizer because you probably touched the subway. A lot of people pet the kitties, and we all have to be mindful of their health.

And then you go looking for cats!

Secret Kitty Door at Meow Parlour

Meow Parlour is cleverly designed with dozens of spots to snooze, nap, lounge and maybe even rest. There are also many places where kitties can find refuge from human and feline company, like behind the wall shelf or through a mysterious tiny door into another room. There are plentiful pods, shelves, nests and even a kitty wheel. The wheel hasn’t been so popular among the current cats, but I’m sure an enthusiastic kitten will come along and take it for a spin.

Food is not available for purchase inside Meow Parlour, for obvious reasons. However, you are welcome to bring in your own coffee or pastry from the Meow Parlour Patisserie just around the corner. I recommend the cat-shaped cookies and macarons. Co-founder Christina Ha is a pastry chef and partner at the fabulous Macaron Parlour, which you may know from many markets or their two beautiful shops. Her partner Emilie Legrande was one of the first employees at Macaron Parlour. They both love cats, and the rest is history. (I have resisted inserting the word hisstory because I only saw happy cats.)

Emilie and Christina, Meow Parlour Co-Founders

You have to make reservations online for your visit to Meow Parlour. For Christmas, I gave James a certificate to skip work with me and go play with cats on a Monday in mid February. It was his favorite gift (along with his custom wallet from Lolafalk, of course). They do post daily to their social media pages when slots open up.

So if you need a little time to escape from the deep winter doldrums, set up a visit to Meow Parlour at 46 Hester street and leave your worries at the door, along with your snow boots. (Lint rollers included.)

Follow Meow Parlour on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates and cat photos!

~Karen Seiger, Markets of New York City