Cat Town Oakland, California

Buckle up; this review is pretty much just me raving about how wonderful Cat Town is. My partner and I visited several times in Fall of 2021 because we *finally* felt ready to adopt a cat, but wanted to test the waters first. We paid for Cat Town's regular visiting hours, and it was such a blast hanging with the cats; the facility is beautifully laid out and all the cats are so well cared for/socialized! When we found our cat Blue there & decided we wanted to adopt him, Cat Town set aside copious time for us to meet & play with him over several sessions. Heck, they even held him for a couple of days, just for us (my partner was out of town on business, so we weren't able to go right away -- they were so understanding!). After we adopted Blue, they had a case manager reach out with follow up tips & to ask how we were all settling in. Their adoption process is so thoughtful and warm; never once did I feel rushed or pressured to make a decision before I was ready to. Now, I can't imagine my days without Blue! He brings endless amounts of joy, and it's a testament to how well cared for he was at Cat Town. If you're in the Oakland / East Bay area and are looking to just play with cats, or are ready to adopt, Cat Town is definitely the place to do it! :D

I love the cafe, the food and beverages were good! (recommending brownies) The cats are adorable, I would've adopted one if I didn't already have four! The staff are really friendly and sweet. Love their goal!

A great place with a great mission! Cat Town rescues cats who are deemed not adoptable and would otherwise be put down, and tries to find them the right match. Some cats are really shy, or a little more aggressive, but they will help you find a cat or bonded pair of cats that suits you best. ???? You enter through the coffee bar next door to Cat Town. It's simple, but good. I love their cold brew! Lots of cool merch and cat toys available to buy as well - my cats LOVE the wands they sell, that have just a little burst of colorful plasticity feelers coming out of it. There's a board when you walk into the actual cat zone that tells you which cats are available for adoption and the volunteers or staff can give you the DL on any cat.You aren't allowed to pick the cats up, but you can totally sit on one of the chairs, benches or on the floor and let the cat's come to you! I find the cats are less scared and more willing to let you pet them when you sit on the floor with them. There's lots of toys around for you to try and get the cats playing, and there's a dispenser in the cat condo area where you can buy treats to feed the kitties. The $10 fee is to keep the place operating - rent isn't free! For that you get an hour to play around in the main Cat Zone, and to check out the cats in the cat condos in the next room. I'd say the best time to go would be either when they first open, or closer to closing. Cats need a lot of sleep to stay healthy, so if you go in the afternoon a lot of the cats will probably be snoozing. Every time I've been, there's been plenty of close by, metered parking. I've only had to walk around the block maybe once, but I wouldn't have considered it a far walk. Definitely a cool place to check out if you're interested in adopting a cat, or even if you have out of town guests and want to take them somewhere unique!

Update: they got back to me and helped work things out. Overall, I love that there is a place like this to help cats. However, the main reason I have to give it two stars is because they gave me a cat with worms. When I tried to reach out about it no one got back to me. I was told that someone would and that was a couple of months ago. They gave me medical records and it said nothing about worms or treatment. Thankfully she is better after a trip to the vet but that was a trip I wasn’t aware I had to take. I would just encourage future adopters to ask thorough questions. Especially about your future cat’s health. I’m also annoyed because I didn’t figure out the poor thing had worms until about three weeks after. My poor baby wasn’t gaining weight! Also, they were not clear about just how traumatized she was. She was way more than just a little shy. She strait up was living in fear of everything! It’s been three months and it took that long for her to feel comfortable enough to lie on the bed with me and my other cat. She’s definitely doing much better and I’m happy to be patient with her for as long as she needs, but again, the disrespect of not being up front about the true condition of these cats is not helpful at all. So just know that “a little shy” might actually mean, extremely traumatized and prepare for a hard 3 months and counting. Last thing, she also didn’t know how to use the litter box properly so that was a fun first week too. However, that’s how I found out about the worms…so it worked out.

We came to pet sweet kitties and that’s exactly what we did. We stayed a bit in the main room and got some good play time in before moving back to the individual studios. The volunteers were so friendly and were able to tells us about each cat and whether they were okay being pet or if they wanted to be left alone. If you like petting cats, this is the place for you. Also a super cute little merch corner with some awesome shirts, pins, cat toys, and a bit more.

Such a wonderful experience. The fury cuties give as much love as you give.

Had the most amazing adoption experience in 2018, despite not having cat experience in my life prior. A truly amazing mission and business to support!

Gorgeous sunny facility. Large open main room, walk through cafe, and several smaller private cat rooms make for a surprisingly easy to visit facility. Plentiful street parking and quick on off the 580. Staff happily explained the protocols for visiting and I had made my reservations online beforehand.

One of the best places to go if you want a cat, want to pet cats or miss being around cats. This place is a not only a cat cafe but a cat shelter that has brought the euthanization rate in Oakland down to zero, even prepandemic. They have little cat apartments for cats that need to be separated for medical or social reasons too! I couldn't recommend Cat Town more. P.S. The Rawr bar next door (not technically this business) has the BEST home brewed chai latte.

well run cat shelter with drink shop. cats were cute and playful. after lunch hr more sleepy cats.

Most kitties were asleep by 430 pm. It's good to go early, if possible. They are all very well loved & cared for ♡

Wonderful organization. I've seen on my many walks past and when visiting that they take incredible care of all the rescued cats.

I LOVED ALL THE CATS STAFF WAS VERY HELPFUL

Please know that Cat Town may not be like your typical cat Cafe and is more of a shelter. They also tend to have shy cats that don't thrive in a typical shelter environment. That being said, Cat town is absolutely AMAZING! The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about each individual cat. They also have a wealth of knowledge on creating a successful adoption, introducing a new cat to your home, and introducing a new cat to a resident cat. They have so much amazing advice and they stick with you every step of the way, even after you adopt. The staff care so much about each cat and do everything they can to find the perfect match for each cat. It's really important to note that the cats at Cat Town tend to be more on the shy side and some may take some extra work in creating a successful adoption. You should go into Cat Town with the proper expectations about the cats. You have so much time to hang out with the cats. Whether it be just for fun or to meet a potential adoption. You really get to know the cats. There's lots of toys and activities! It'll be hard not to fall in love with a cat or 2......or 3 ????. Could not recommend this place enough!!

They helped me find a place to have my cat seen. She has a murmur and everyone wanted to charge over the top. Thanks for leading me in another direction. I can now keep my baby

Great place to hang out with cats, or adopt one

This is less of a cat cafe and more of a cat shelter where you can get great coffee as you pet cats. Don't come here expecting to point at a cat and take it home. This organization is dedicated to finding the best home for each and every cat that comes through their doors.

This is a great place to not only pet cats and drink coffee, but also adopt! Most of the cats are very friendly and love to play. The best time to go is at dusk because they are the most active. Would recommend.

Great coffee, awesome spot to chill with some cats, and pick up some goodies for your furry babes at home.

Hard to believe these reviews,I love cats but paid 10 dollars to walk into a room with 3 cats asleep and workers with noses in air and stick up butt

Are you capable of providing a loving home for an otherwise unwanted cat? Do you have the experience, patience and skill necessary to learn about your cat's personality and needs and to nurture it with care and love? Do you have ample time and resources to create a safe and happy home for a cat? I was never asked these questions, but was turned down for adoption because Quinn at Cat Town surmised from an off-hand comment that my home was too big, and that the cat I was considering needed to be kept confined in small spaces (spaces just like Cat Town). Our entire conversation was limited to the size of my home. Certainly with a little imagination (which Quinn apparently lacks) a cozy, safe space can be carved out in an otherwise large home. Traumatized and abandoned animals frequently retreat to safe spaces. But the notion that an animal needs to be matched with a home where it can be kept in a state of arrested development for the duration of its life is appalling. Cat Town isn't really trying to find good homes for unwanted cats. If you go here to adopt, be prepared to suffer the indignity of people like Quinn telling you that your safe and loving home is not suitable for a cat that was abandoned in a parking lot.

Cat town is the best. I got my forever foster here and the staff and services were great before and after. If you were thinking about fostering this is such a great place to do it. I also love the RAWR coffee bar. Great raw cat food and cat toys!

Cat cafe, kitty theme park playroom, and adoption center.

They are so awesome... They way the inside is decorated is way cool.

Most wholesome experience with good coffee and heartwarming rescue kitties!

I did not visit the play area and the cats, just went in to get a latte. The cafe is super cute, has many cute gifts for the cat lover, and serves Highwire coffee. Good stuff. I love that Cat Town exists and now that I live nearby, I will spend money there, although I already have too many pets!

Good raw food for kitties. Excellent coffee and cats!

The main attraction of this place is it's an area to visit adoptable cats. There is a cafe to one side, then you can go inside and spend an hour with the cats for $10.

Hey Cat Town, Claim This Business Go!

The staff are all very friendly and the cats are adorable. Make sure you check in with them on when the cats normally nap to get the best opportunity to see them.