When Tobias and two of his mates discovered the concept of cat cafés back in 2019, they were instantly hooked. After a quick Google, they realised Sweden didn't have a single one, so they opened the country's first, becoming a national sensation overnight.
Fast forward a few years (and a couple of lockdowns), and London now has two branches of the Sweden-born rescue cat cafés, Java Whiskers Cat Café. We sat down with Tobias to chat all about his experience opening the cafés and why the capital can't get enough of cats.
Hey! How did this all start?
Back in 2019, my two friends and I heard about cat cafés in other parts of the world, but when we looked them up, there weren't any in Sweden. I've always loved animals, so we thought, why not open one ourselves in Stockholm?
And was it an instant hit?
It really was. We didn't expect it, but there was a lot of media attention right away. All the major newspapers and TV channels attended, and we even appeared live on Sweden's largest morning show on the day we opened. People really love cats!
So, how did London come into it?
After Stockholm, we wanted to open more cafés, and London made sense. It's a big, international city, and people speak English, which makes it easier for us compared to opening somewhere like Germany. We found a spot in Marylebone and planned to open in April 2020... then the pandemic hit.
Brutal timing.
Yeah, the fit-out was done, but we had to pause everything for six months. When we finally opened, it lasted 10 days before lockdown hit again. But since then, we've kept going and we opened a second café in December 2022 in White City.
Are the two London branches equally busy?
Generally, though, the Marylebone one attracts more tourists since it's more central. Both are popular, though – there's a big appetite for cats in London!
Tell us more about the cats themselves.
We only work with rescue cats, all of which come from local shelters. They usually stay with us for two or three months before being adopted, and we've rehomed over 800 cats so far. The cafés also bring more attention to the shelters, which helps with adoptions beyond just the cats who live with us.
That's amazing. Any expansion plans?
Yes! We want to open more locations, both in the UK and maybe even further afield. There are still so many homeless cats out there.
What's the vibe in the cafés?
Each one has different rooms – a kitten room and an adult cat lounge. We serve afternoon tea and also host events such as kitten yoga and painting workshops. People love being around the cats while doing something creative.
Do you have cats yourself?
Yes, just the one cat and one dog at home, and I used to be more of a dog person, but after meeting hundreds of cats, I've realised how unique they all are. They've got such different personalities, and yes, my cat definitely rules the house.
Fancy a cuddle with a cat and a cup of tea? Check out Java Whiskers London to find out more.