Whiskers & Wisdom ✨ Why Start a Cat Café?

Miss Meow’s “Why” + the Worldwide Cat Café Craze ✨

Once upon a (pandemic) time… there was a mid-age Japanese lady (yep, that’s me — Miss Meow 🐱) sitting in front of her computer day after day. I loved creating beautiful homes, but oh my whiskers — it was lonely. Just me, my screen, and way too much coffee.

Living in a tiny beach town in Costa Rica, I hardly met anyone new for years. Life started to feel like: work → eat → drink → party → pass out → repeat.

I asked myself: Is this it? Am I just here to make money and stare at my laptop forever? 🙀

Then… a little lightbulb moment popped above my head (probably powered by cat hair and caffeine). What if I mix my loves together?✨ My creativity✨ My passion for cats✨ My wish to meet humans again (yes, real live ones!)

The Cat-Nip Idea 🌸

I started daydreaming about a place that felt… magical. A Zen-style lounge filled with crystals, soft water fountains, and cozy corners where cats and kids could roam free. People could sip lattes, eat cupcakes, and laugh together — while I snuck in my design work surrounded by purrs instead of silence.

Not just a café. Not just a design office. But also a rescue mission, where every paw-print guest could get a second chance at finding a forever home.

Sounds paw-fect, right? Well… my husband didn’t think so at first. For two whole years he said “No.” (cue tiny violin 🎻). But Miss Meow is a determined cat — I struck a deal (no claws, no bribes… okay maybe cupcakes 🧁) and at last, he said “Yes.” That’s when I knew: this wasn’t just a daydream. This was my mission. 🐾

Why the Whole World Loves Cat Cafés 🌍🐱

Did you know the very first cat café opened in Taipei in 1998? Then Japan went all in — and soon cat cafés popped up everywhere like paw-prints across the globe. From Tokyo to New York, London to… Brasilito, Costa Rica!

Why are they so popular?

• 💤 Cats make you relax and make loneliness go poof ✨

• 🐾 Rescues get second chances at forever homes

• 💌 Animal lovers find their tribe

• ☕ Snuggles + chai latte + cupcake = happiness unlocked 💕

My “Why” 🐾💖

For me, opening Purr Vida Lounge was never just about coffee or cute kitties (though yes, we have both 😹). It was about meaning. About rescuing, loving, and re-homing cats. About creating a Zen, crystal-filled, magical space where people feel cozy, connected, and maybe even a little healed.

It took courage, persistence, and a sprinkle of cat magic, but here we are. And oh my paws — it feels like exactly what I was meant to do.

Miss Meow’s Paw Note

Lesson from the Lounge: Never give up on your dream — persistence is just like a cat meowing at the door. Eventually, someone opens it. 🐱✨