Amsterdam for Cat Spotters and Cat Lovers

Amsterdam is truly a city where cats feel at home. There are more than 350,000 cats living in the city. Wherever you go, you will see cats everywhere. They sit on the quays along the canals, laze on benches or watch the world from their high positions on a windowsill. Cats and cat lovers have the time of their lives in Amsterdam.

Four Highlights for Cat Lovers in Amsterdam

1. Kattenkabinet (Cat Museum)
2. Kattencafé Kopjes
3. De Poezenboot (Cat boat)
4. 4Cats

Kattenkabinet – Cat Museum

A museum that is entirely dedicated to cats. Het Kattenkabinet was founded in 1990 by a wealthy Dutchman in honour of his beloved ginger tomcat. This unusual museum shows the role of the cat in art and literature through the ages. The collection consists of paintings, sculptures, books and posters, all dedicated to the cat. If you are not a cat lover, come to the museum for the beautiful interior because the Kattenkabimnet is located in a 17th century canal house. There is a good chance that you will be welcomed by one of the five cats that live here.
Read more about the Kattenkabinet

* Kattenkabinet, Herengracht 497, Amsterdam

Kattencafé Kopjes

What more could you want with your ‘cattucina’ besides eight cats? Kattencafé Kopjes in Amsterdam is the place to be for cat lovers. Petting is allowed, but picking them up is not. The cats have been carefully selected by Stichting Dierenleed in Amsterdam Noord and the Dierenopvangcentrum Amsterdam because you can only place social cats in a cat café, social to a certain extent because cats go their own way.

The menu includes hot and cold drinks, cake, snacks and light meals, but you are not allowed to feed the cats.
You pay a small entrance fee and you can stay for a maximum of two hours. The money is used for cat food and cat welfare. Reservations are required because there is room for a maximum of 20 visitors. The cats are not always very active, but the later in the day you go, the more they walk around because feeding time is approaching.

* Kopjes Kattencafé, Marco Polostraat 211, Amsterdam

De Poezenboot the Cat Boat

Cats hate water, but the cats on the cat boat are happily purring because they are well cared for. The cat boat is a refuge for stray cats. This shelter, founded in 1966, became increasingly more ‘luxurious’ and is now a floating shelter for stray cats and foundlings. Visitors are welcome on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 13:00 and 15:00.
Read more about the Cat Boat

* De Poezenboot, Singel 38, Amsterdam

4Cats, where the Cat is King

4Cats is a cat specialty store chock full of cat gadgets, both for their owners and for the cats themselves. 4Cats is a inviting look-and-buy store where you can find everything your cat likes and enjoys: cat baskets with or without plaid, an igloo as a hiding place, food bowls, anti-stress drops, flea drops and lots of cat treats, cat biscuits, wet food and many more cat treats.
Read more about 4Cats

* 4Cats, Waterlooplein 179, Amsterdam

Photos: Marianne Crone

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