Nestled comfortably within the bustling, tree-lined streets of Seattle lies a warm, coffee and delicacy-filled feline heaven: The Meowtropolitan Cafe.
On a bright, sunny day I opened up the door to this homely little cafe, the chime of a soft bell announcing my entrance as the rich smell of coffee and baked goods greeted my senses. As my friends and I stepped further inside, we were welcomed by Mari Partido, one of the cafe’s friendly baristas and guardians. The crystal figures of cats lining the wooden shelves, accompanying unique and adorable cat toys along with cat-themed menu items, had me pulling out my card before I could blink. Partido took our orders with a smile before escorting us to the real stars of the cafe, the cats themselves.
According to the Meowtropolitan’s website, “These cats are the Knights of Seattle Meowtropolitan. Protectors of the realm of the Feline Kingdom,” and they sure show it! Lounging on every available surface and turning their bellies to the sky for purr-inducing rubs, these cats made the visit a memorable experience and an utter delight. They strutted around and demanded the attention they undoubtedly deserved, letting each and every guest know that they were indeed high-quality renowned knights. All they were missing was the shining armor!
While kneeling on the ground and watching in amusement as a cat ran in a spinning wheel and another tipped over a box to crawl inside, my food was carefully delivered by Partido. My latte, with delicious-smelling steam rising from the cup, was decorated with the adorable art of a cat with a little plant sprout on its head. It was so well-done that I hardly wanted to drink it, but with one sip, I couldn’t resist. It was by far one of the best, rich lattes I had ever tasted. The cat-shaped shortbread cookies were nothing to scoff at, either.
However, I could hardly pay attention to my fantastic food or my friends, my focus entirely on the many sweet and charming felines that brushed against my feet and meowed their way into my heart. I kept hopping from cat to cat, unable to choose which one to pay attention to. Each one happily accepted my pets, loudly purring and pushing their soft faces into my palms. I got to witness one girl giggle and laugh as a cat jumped up onto her table and brushed her hands aside so that it could stretch out across her laptop, clearly deciding that it was more important than her work (and I must agree)!
Between Trout, the fluffy joy that pranced around for as many pets as she could get, and Squirrel, the little troublemaker that tried to manipulate us with his completely innocent cries, I was thoroughly entertained for the too-short hour that I was there. If I could, I would have stayed there for as long as possible, giving each one of the cats as much love as I could possibly give, perhaps even walking out of that cafe with an armful of new family members.
Though my hour may have ran out, I was not done. My interest had been piqued, and I wanted to know more. Partido was kind enough to sit with me while we listened to the chorus of meows and the steam of the coffee machines.
“The owner wanted to start a cat cafe, back in 2016, and I don’t think there was a cat cafe out here in Washington at that time,” Partido explained. “I know he traveled out to Asia and saw the cat cafes there, and wanted to start one here, and that’s what happened. But I think the big thing that he wanted to do differently when he first started was that he wanted to put emphasis on adoption, having an adoption program with the cafe. Because overseas a lot of the cat cafes have only resident cats, so he wanted to do something to help cats get adopted.”
Indeed, there are not many cat cafes in Washington, and not all of them offer the ability to adopt their cats, which is part of what makes the Meowtropolitan so special. The cafe is partnered with Regional Animal Services of King County, a shelter located in Kent, WA, and the cafe helps the shelter relieve some of their cat population by taking them in and rehabilitating them within the cafe. The Meowtropolitan provides them with everything they could need, while also exposing them to human interaction and care, along with potential adopters.
“Like any other animals, they all have different personalities, so being able to interact with all the different personalities is really nice,” Partido said. “We try to have a good mix with friendly cats, sociable cats, but we take on the shyer cats, too. Some that need some extra TLC of what a human is or what a cat is.”
“I think out of everything [my favorite part is] just being able to take care of the cats … being able to … give the cats just some extra room in the lounge to take care of them while they’re on their individual journeys of finding a forever home, that’s something that really sticks with me … everyone has a different story of why they come here, but at the end of the day, I just love cats.”
The cats are clearly well-loved, healthy and glossy-furred, and it’s no surprise that the employees of the cafe easily get attached to their whiskered charges.
Partido, teary-eyed, reminisces about the first cafe cats that she truly fell in love with.
“Peach and Daisy, they were the first cats that we took in when I was about 1-2 months into the job. They came in at only 4 months old… and they stayed with us for a long while, they were really well acquainted, really good girls. Then it came time [for them to be adopted], they were the first cats where I saw them grow up, you know, and then it came time to my last shift when I was closing. And I picked both of them up … and said, ‘okay, you guys be good, I know you guys are gonna be good,’ and both of them licked me on the cheek, and that was the first time I cried … I always get emotional with the cats, but seeing those two go … I remember distinctly being very, very emotional.”
According to Partido, many of the cats do not stay long before a human falls in love with them and happily gives them a home.
“All of the cats I do remember… Even if they have a small time in the cafe, I still remember them because … I’m still taking care of them,” Partido said. “We’ve had greeting cards come in, like Christmas cards, of cats who have been adopted out … It’s always nice to see how our kids are doing.”
“I love my job, it is fulfilling. And it keeps me on my feet. The kids keep me on my feet.”
I have already visited this cafe several times, and I have no intentions of stopping. Being able to support the wonderful work that the Meowtropolitan Cafe is doing, while also being able to give these cats some love, warms my heart and brings a wide smile to my face. The atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming, and the employees are always happy to see you and introduce you to their cats. If you find yourself with a free day, or happen to be wandering around in Seattle, then seek out the Meowtropolitan’s signature two-cat wooden sign and make yourself at home.
“A lot of people will come up to me as they’re walking out … or during their visit, and they’re like ‘oh my god, this must be the best job ever,’ and I’m like, ‘yes!’”
If you’d like to make a reservation to visit the cats, send them cat-themed gifts (though the gifts don’t have to be cat-themed at all! Per their website, “Honestly, you could send an empty box. The cats would sit in it.”), or even to adopt these adorable and loyal knights of the Feline Kingdom, then visit their website, https://www.seameow.com/.
