Cat Cafes in Melbourne and Regional Victoria
Cat cafés are a wonderful experience for animal lovers, offering the opportunity to relax with a drink while spending time with friendly cats in a comfortable indoor environment.
Melbourne and regional Victoria have several cat cafés where visitors can pat, play with and observe resident cats. Some cafés provide permanent homes for their feline residents, while others care for rescued cats and kittens waiting to be adopted.
Cat cafés can be particularly enjoyable for families with older children and teenagers, although minimum age requirements vary considerably between venues.
Most cafés charge admission for a timed session in the cat lounge, and bookings are recommended at popular locations.
Cat Cafes in Melbourne
Lazy Cat Cafe (Box Hill)
G03/830 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Minimum age: 3 years
Lazy Cat Cafe is a cosy indoor cat lounge with approximately 15 resident cats. Visitors can relax, gently pat and play with the cats, or enjoy watching them explore their surroundings.
The café also has board games and video games, providing entertainment while spending time with the cats.
There is a separate café area serving drinks and refreshments. The cats are permanent residents and are not available for adoption.
Children aged 3-11 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Highlights:
- Approximately 15 resident cats
- Board games and video games
- One-hour and longer cat lounge sessions
- Separate café area
- Private group bookings
- Companion Cards accepted
Cat Cafe Melbourne (Carlton)
512 Swanston Street, Carlton
Minimum age: 8 years, with limited exceptions requiring prior written approval
Established in 2014, Cat Cafe Melbourne was Australia's first cat café and offers a relaxing environment where visitors can spend time with friendly resident cats.
The cats were originally adopted from shelters and have permanent homes at the café.
Visitors can choose from shorter visits or longer experiences, with some packages including drinks, cat treats and souvenirs.
The cat lounge provides a comfortable space to relax while the cats play, sleep and explore their surroundings.
Highlights:
- Australia's first cat café
- Friendly resident cats
- 30-minute and one-hour sessions
- Selected longer experiences
- Drinks and cat treat packages
- Cat-themed gifts and souvenirs
- Private group sessions
Cashmere Cat Cafe (Melbourne CBD)
Level 1, 365 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Minimum age: 6 years
Cashmere Cat Cafe provides an indoor retreat from the busy Melbourne CBD, where visitors can relax and enjoy the company of friendly cats.
The café offers timed cat lounge experiences, providing opportunities to interact with the cats in a calm and comfortable environment.
Visitors can sit quietly with the cats, watch their playful behaviour and enjoy a relaxing break from exploring the city.
Cat treats are available during designated sessions, giving visitors another opportunity to interact with the feline residents.
Highlights:
- Convenient Melbourne CBD location
- Indoor cat lounge
- Opportunities to pat and interact with cats
- Timed admission sessions
- Cat treats during selected sessions
- Suitable for children aged six and over
Cat Cafes in Regional Victoria
Grounded Paws Cat Cafe (Traralgon)
23 McMahon Street, Traralgon
Distance from Melbourne: Approximately 165 km east
Minimum age: No specific minimum age published - confirm suitability for young children before visiting
Grounded Paws Cat Cafe is operated by Grounded Paws Animal Rescue Inc., a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing animals and finding them loving homes.
Unlike the other cat cafés in this guide, the cats and kittens at Grounded Paws are available for adoption.
The upstairs cat lounge has an Alice in Wonderland theme and provides a comfortable environment where visitors can interact with rescued cats while learning about their personalities and individual stories.
The organisation can accommodate up to 30 cats and kittens in its café.
Grounded Paws also hosts occasional school holiday movie nights, children's birthday parties and other special events.
Highlights:
- Rescued cats and kittens available for adoption
- Alice in Wonderland-themed cat lounge
- Up to 30 cats and kittens
- Half-hour cat lounge sessions
- Volunteer staff who can explain the adoption process
- Separate café area
- Occasional school holiday movie nights
- Children's birthday parties
Which Cat Cafe is Best for Your Family?
The most important consideration when choosing a cat café is the age of your children.
- Children aged 3-5: Lazy Cat Cafe in Box Hill is the main option among the metropolitan cafés listed here, admitting children from three years old.
- Children aged 6-7: Lazy Cat Cafe and Cashmere Cat Cafe are suitable options.
- Children aged 8 and over: All three metropolitan cat cafés accept children in this age group, subject to supervision and house rules.
- Families interested in adopting a cat: Grounded Paws Cat Cafe in Traralgon offers the opportunity to meet rescue cats and kittens looking for permanent homes.
- Families who enjoy other activities: Lazy Cat Cafe combines cat interactions with board games and video games.
- Birthday celebrations: Several cat cafés offer private sessions or birthday party experiences, subject to availability and age restrictions.
Tips for Visiting Cat Cafes with Children
A visit to a cat café is different from visiting a traditional children's play centre. The comfort and welfare of the cats must always come first.
- Check the minimum age requirement before booking
- Book ahead, particularly on weekends and during school holidays
- Explain to children that cats may not always want to be patted or held
- Never chase, frighten or wake sleeping cats
- Allow cats to approach visitors when they feel comfortable
- Speak quietly and avoid running around the cat lounge
- Follow staff instructions about feeding and handling the cats
- Wash or sanitise hands as directed
- Check whether socks are required and shoes must be removed
- Allow enough time to arrive and check in before your session
- Check accessibility arrangements before visiting if required
- Remember that visits may involve close contact with cats and may not be suitable for people with significant cat allergies
When is the Best Time to Visit?
Weekdays and quieter sessions may provide a more relaxed experience than busy weekends or school holiday periods.
Cats naturally spend much of their day sleeping, so there is no guarantee that every cat will be active or interested in playing during your visit.
Visiting a cat café is about enjoying the company of cats in a calm environment, rather than expecting constant interaction.
Opening Hours and Admission Prices
Opening hours, session lengths, admission prices and booking arrangements vary between cafés and can change.
Follow the links to the individual Melbourne Playgrounds listings for further information about each venue, including links to current admission prices and booking details.
