{"id":715,"date":"2017-02-03T14:48:18","date_gmt":"2017-02-03T13:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/?p=65677\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:05","slug":"ruikt-vertrouwd-kattencafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/02\/03\/ruikt-vertrouwd-kattencafe\/","title":{"rendered":"The familiar smell of the cat caf\u00e9 Pebbles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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No beer on the menu, but with six cats wandering around the pub like little divas, the cat caf\u00e9 Pebbles at the Hoogstraat takes some getting used to.<\/p>\n

In any case, the visitor\u2019s hands are tied from the outset. First you enter through the front door which immediately leads to what looks like a quarantine area. Disinfect hands, and on to door number two where the waitress awaits. She points to the entrance charge \u2013 \u20ac3.50 per person \u2013 which is immediately added to your bill. After all, cats need to eat.<\/p>\n

She recommends ordering a cappuccino or hot chocolate with whipped cream. This will entice the cats to come to you, as you can\u2019t just pick one up and put it in your lap. Nobody knows why.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Cats rule<\/h3>

It has the familiar smell of a pet shop, and it feels awkward, as if you\u2019re at a party with strangers. Cats rule here and they know <\/em>it. As opposed to the feelings of the rest of the customers, this is not a comforting thought. There\u2019s an ominous feeling, as if you could be asked to leave the party at any moment.<\/p>\n

Getting a drink isn\u2019t an option: the bar \u2013 which looks like a glass display case \u2013 offers only coffee and pastries. Instead of the usual bottles of spirits above the bar, there\u2019s a collection of cat food.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re permitted to drink something, but don\u2019t you dare wake up the cats: against the rules. A customer who has just been nuzzled by one of the cats practically glows. Her reaction lasts so long and seems so intense; it\u2019s unclear if she might be experiencing an orgasm.<\/p>\n\n\t

Crazy about cats<\/h3>
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A student sits at a table with his mother. This young man in his twenties has just celebrated his birthday and a visit to the cat caf\u00e9 is his gift. They describe themselves as crazy about cats, but owning such a pet would be too expensive, so a caf\u00e9 like this is the perfect solution. A book, Cat Secrets<\/em>, lies on the table. The mother is talking about a YouTube video she saw about catnip. \u2018It\u2019s like drugs for cats,\u2019 she says as her son nods, enjoying himself, eyes wide.<\/p>\n

After 45 minutes the sneezing starts, time for Your Reviewer to make his exit. A cat continues to be a complex phenomenon.<\/p>\n

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Reviews of real pubs<\/h2>