Is there such a place as heaven on earth? Does the perfect relaxation spot exist? Can you find the best environment for contemplation? Crumbs and Whiskers, located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. comes pretty close. This cat cafe allows visitors to sit and play with kittens for a period of time. Surrounded by cats of all shapes, sizes, and ages, the “kitten lounge” is one of the best places to adventure to on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I joined several other friends in experiencing this cat cafe for the first time. There were six of us, but the usual reservation size caps at 5 people. It is important to note that reservations for Crumbs and Whiskers must be made typically a week in advance.
The environment of the cafe is calming. Approximately fifteen cats merely lounge about, moving from place to place to cuddle or play. More often than not, the kittens find their way into the laps of visitors to curl up for a midday nap. Benches, pillows, and love nests are spread out throughout the lounge for cats and guests to curl up on and enjoy one another’s company.
Overall, it’s rather quiet, save for the low-volume show tunes playing throughout the building. The staff is extremely helpful in finding kittens milling about and ushering them to awaiting guests. Most of the cats were friendly and would feel relaxed enough to approach any visitor to play or cuddle.
It’s no wonder guests are reminded to end the “attachment phase” five minutes prior to the expired time slot. It was hard to let go of the kittens once they had fallen asleep in your lap. In a mere thirty minutes, the entire party had already become attached to their kittens. This is the exact intention of Crumbs and Whiskers, as every cat within the lounge is eligible to be adopted. Some had even already been adopted, to the dismay of the visitors who want to see their favorite cat again. Cats that are adopted go home with their new families in a few days.
Our party had only registered for the 30-minute session, which went by in the blink of an eye. This session costs approximately $20 per person, but there is also a 70-minute session that costs $40. I would say, for the experience itself, this price is worth it. Although for someone considering adoption, the 70-minute session is the best option and arguably, the most productive in undergoing the adoption process.
If people are in the mood to cuddle with some kittens, either session is productive in calming the heart and mind. It would depend on the amount of money one is willing to spend on the experience overall. A positive of either outcome is that all the money from admission goes towards the upkeep of the animals and the store. Admission goes toward food, cleaning services, and adoption processing. Even if you do not adopt a cat, attending the kitten lounge is beneficial to the animals and the organization.
I attended Crumbs and Whiskers as a dog-lover. My family members are allergic to cats, so I never spent much time around them. After visiting the kitten lounge, I can proudly say I am still a dog-lover; however, I am now open to the idea of having a cat in my future. The experience helped me broaden my narrow horizon about cats, but also made me feel rather good that my money was going to a good place that is effectively saving animals