Four Facts We Learned About Meow Parlour, NYC's Cat Café

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December 15th is a mere three weeks away. On any other year, it's a date that would mean, "it's very dark and cold." But this December 15th is the opening of Meow Parlour, New York City's very first permanent cat café, and the date that our collective need to stuff macarons into our faces and pet cats will finally, gloriously be realized.

In light of this momentous occasion, our sister site Eater NY sat down with cat café co-founder and human genius Christina Ha, who also owns Macaron Parlour, the bakery that will be connected (but separated) from the furry stars of Meow Parlour. Here's what we learned:

The origin story of the cat café is super cute: "One day the store across the street from here freed up and we (Ha and her partner Emilie) were sitting here joking about it and were like, 'Can you imagine, you'd just get off of work and run across the street and hug all the cats, and they love you because you smell like cookies.' And then it just stopped being a joke."

The cats and the café will be completely separate: New York City health codes prohibit Meow Parlour from being like other cat cafés around the world where the animals and the food mingle. One storefront will be on Hester Street, while the other will be at an unannounced location, though all the food can be delivered to the cat space. And vice versa, weirdos who don't like cats may just stop into the bakery, if they choose.

Everything prepared in the kitchen will be non-toxic to cats, though there probably won't be cat-themed treats: "What's important is that it tastes good, it travels well, and if a cat eats it they won't die."

Expect black cats and senior cats, but no pirate kitties: "I told KittyKind, 'I want you to give me some old cats and give me some black cats.' I also asked for a three-legged cat, but they said three-legged cats get adopted instantly. So do pirate kitties. So we'll get seniors and black cats and cats that are hard to find homes for."

· Everything You Need to Know About Meow Parlour, New York City's First Cat Cafe [Eater NY]
· Glorious News: NYC to Get the Permanent Cat Café It Deserves [Racked NY]
· Stunning Cat Fashion Show Models, In Order of Shame [Racked NY]