A Cat Cafe Has Officially Opened in Beirut!

Disclaimer: This article is loaded with cat puns. Proceed at your own risk.

We previously wrote about the announcement of a cat cafe project in Beirut. The opening was slated for the end of 2017 by the latest. However, several challenges and obstacles put a damper on the plans and pushed back the opening indefinitely.

We are here to tell you, all you cat lovers, the wait is finally over!

We are not kitten around. There is a feline love-fest happening in the heart of Beirut. Last night, Beirut’s fur-st cat cafe officially announced its opening via a Facebook post. And people are losing it! 

Ever since the announcement of the project two years ago, the animal-loving community in Lebanon has been waiting eagerly for the hub to open its doors.

Theyre opening a cat cafe in Beirut
And i couldnt be happier

— Sano (@sanathedentist) September 13, 2017

The beirut cat café will be opening soon min bado ekhdo date

— Sarah (@_whateversarah) December 17, 2018

‘The Beirut Cat Cafe will be opening soon. Who wants me to take them on a date?’

beirut cat cafe is opening soon cant wait to go cry there <3333

— jonas brothers fan account (@MASHROULElLA) December 18, 2018

With the announcement coming just a few hours (Saturday night), Lebanese people took to Twitter to express their joy and excitement.

The Beirut cat Cafe will open tomorrow and i can’t wait

— Maria||-//. (@DiabMaria31) March 9, 2019

Nothing tops a Cat Cafe to make #Beirut more bearable <3 pic.twitter.com/m9ExXIvOhF

— Luna Safwan – لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) March 9, 2019

Cat Cafes have been around for over two decades now, popping up more frequently in recent years. The paw-some concept can be found everywhere from Tokyo to Toronto and Montreal, but the concept is new to Beirut.

The interior design revolves around cats and coffee… The ‘purr-fect’ combination for a lazy and happy Sunday afternoon.

The managers of the cafe have been working closely with Beirut municipality to ensure that the cafe is up to all health codes and cleanliness standards.

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You’ve all been waiting for Beirut Cat Cafe and wondering why we haven’t opened yet, so here’s an update on what’s been going on with us! As a pet cafe, we are the first of our kind in Lebanon. This means that there are yet no official rules or regulations for our cafe to operate within. We are now working alongside BETA to prove to the Municipality of Beirut and health authorities, that Beirut Cat Cafe will offer all cat lovers a safe and well organized pet cafe experience following world wide standards! This month we were welcomed by Governor of Beirut Ziad Chbib to explain our project and its humanitarian cause, and to plan how we can move forward with Beirut Cat Cafe within official laws ? Our partners and legal team are working round the clock to ensure that we don’t make you wait much longer! We appreciate all your love and support, and promise to deliver a wonderful cat cafe ❤ ? . . الجميع كان بإنتظار إفتتاح بيروت كات كافيه و كان هناك تساؤلات كثيرة عن سبب التأخير. لذلك، أحببنا أن نوضح لمتابعين عن بعد التفاصيل التي نعمل عليها! إن فكرة مقهى يحتوي على حيوانات أليفة هي الأولى من نوعها في لبنان. ذلك يعني عدم وجود أي قوانين سابقة تساعدنا على بدء العمل بشكل نظامي. نحن الآن نعمل بجانب جمعية BETA على إثبات لبلدية بيروت و قسم الصحة أن بيروت كات كافيه سوف تقدم لجميع محبي الهرر مقهى آمن و منظم, يتبع المعايير العالمية! لقد قمنا بزيارة لمحافظ بيروت القاضي زياد شبيب واستَقبَلَنا في مكتبه، و قدمنا له مشروعنا مع تفسير لقضيتنا الإنسانية تجاه الهرر في المقهى، و خططنا معه كيفية التحرك للأمام ? نحن نعمل مع فريقنا على مدار الساعة على إفتتاح بيروت كات كافيه في أقرب وقت ممكن! مقدرين دعمكم للمشروع مع كل الحب من فريق Beirut Cat Café ❤? . . #beirutcatcafe #catcafe #beirut #lebanon #beirutmunicipality

A post shared by Beirut Cat Cafè (@beirutcatcafe) on

All the cats are provided by BETA and Animals Lebanon. As such, they will be all spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Heads up, these adorable furballs are up for adoption!

The project was part of a crowdfunded initiative to improve the lives of animals and decrease their trade in the country. With over two hundred groups and communities on different social media platforms, the Lebanese society of animal-lovers is an active, widespread one.

These little fur angels have been through a lot and could use a friendly pat. So head down to Mar Mikhael for some coffee and a chance to find your furry companion. Nose boops encouraged.

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