NEKO Cat Cafe Bellingham

I’ve always seen this place online and finally had the chance to go with my daughter—and it did not disappoint! There is a donation required to enter, which goes right back to the cats, and they also have specials on certain days (like Senior Day, College Day, etc.), so be sure to check their hours. Each visit is for one hour, starting at the top of the hour, so we waited about seven minutes, which was no problem at all. They ask you to sanitize your hands for the safety of the cats (and you), which makes sense, and they kindly ask guests not to pick up the cats. That didn’t stop them from hopping on us, though—the minute we sat down, one jumped right on my lap and clung to me, which was pure delight! There are around 25 cats, some permanent residents and some available for adoption. They even give you treats to feed the cats, which immediately gets their attention. The café itself is very clean (they were actively tidying while we were there), and it does not smell like cats at all. There are plenty of toys, comfy spaces for the cats, and friendly staff who clearly care about both the animals and the visitors. They serve food and drinks—I had a delicious coffee—and also sell cat products like toys, shampoos, and fun accessories for both pets and humans. Restrooms are available as well, which is a nice convenience. This is a wonderful place to bring children to safely interact with cats, or for anyone considering adoption. I had such a beautiful experience and will absolutely be back. Thank you, Neko Café, for creating such a warm and welcoming space for cat lovers! 🐾

We had a birthday party for my 6 year old daughter and it was AMAZING NG! Everyone was so friendly! The cats are just lovely! Good drinks. Kitty treats to hand out. Clean. Even played Taylor Swift for background music for the birthday girl! ❤️

The drinks are fun, the cookies are adorable, and the cats are addictive! However, while the cafe is comfy, as guests we didn't always feel.. comfortable. Our first impressions were positive, as one staff member greeted us with a smile and helped us with our snack order. However, the second staff member's vibe took us totally off guard. She approached us very clinically, with rapid fire instructions, and when my daughter turned her head she snapped at her to stay here and pay attention, which since the cafe is practically silent the sudden volume startled us. She did engage with my daughter again, placing a cat on her lap and handing her a few treats, although she made it perfectly clear she wouldn't be giving my daughter any more. Treat shortage maybe? Near the end of our visit, there was a quiet couple in the cafe who asked about adopting a cat, the staff member came over and was a bit sharp, apathetically detailing why that wasn't possible. We all stayed silent and pretended not to listen, but it was a bit uncomfortable. Overall, although she was nice, we had trouble connecting with that particular staff member, and because of that were a little on edge the entire time, and even though our daughter was impeccably behaved, we got the subtle impression kids may not be welcome. Lastly, make sure to read up on the adoption process before you come! It was hard to see the couple go home disappointed.

we booked a 45 min sesh for 4pm and ended up being the only ones!! don’t know how we got so lucky. we had such a good time, the cats are so sweet, and the staff is super friendly :) ps. we love u fish stick ❤️

Everytime we are in town we come here. Absolutely love it!! 10/10. The cats are always so loving If you're going to adopt I recommend from here such a great company. It inspires me to do something like this in my town in Arizona.

Stepping into this cat cafe is like entering a haven of purrs and playful energy. The air is filled with a gentle hum of contentment, punctuated by the soft padding of paws and the occasional chirrup. Each feline resident seems perfectly at ease, whether they're gracefully lounging on a sunbeam, batting playfully at a dangling toy, or offering a curious head-nudge to a visitor. The cozy atmosphere, complete with comfortable seating and charming decor, makes it the ideal spot to unwind, sip a delicious beverage, and experience the therapeutic presence of these adorable creatures. It's a truly delightful escape for any cat lover or anyone seeking a moment of calm and joy.

The cat cafe is a great way to spend an hour of your afternoon. Calmly sitting and enjoying the calmness that are the most of these cats. A few frisky kitties are abound. But mostly these cats curl up in window beds, and cat beds throughout the space. Others wonder about and check you out and sometimes your lap might get chosen for a perfect calm resting spot. The staff is great and knows all about the cats, they offer an opportunity to feed the cats some treats. And you can tell which cats love their treats the most like Ringo. They also do a great job of cleaning the whole space between groups. Most of the cats are ready for adoption. Food is limited the coffee was ok and the sugar cookies were adorable.

This cafe was great! Thankful they have rules and cat-only areas to avoid any cats being overwhelmed or uncomfortable, and everyone was very friendly and welcoming! Food was a bit expensive, but I chalk that up to being used to different costs of living and needing more money going into proper care for the cats, so really, not an issue at all! The cookies were adorable. I took my partner here for her birthday, and we had a really nice time! I have a camera roll peppered with very content, relaxed cats now.

If you want to see the cats play more, visit earlier in the day. As expected, they get sleepy as the day progresses. The cats are very cute and friendly, and the staff is very attentive. They thoroughly clean the entire place between each session.

A big, clean, and friendly place for 24 cats! The staff there were very friendly and loved talking about their cats, and I'm sure they say the same thing over and over again at every hour, so I appreciate their friendliness. There's also a bar for both alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks. We booked our appointment online, and we had to reschedule it a few times, and they have pretty accommodating for our poor scheduling. I saw a couple walk ins while I was waiting, but there wasn't any slots left at our time, but they were offered an hour later. For around $15 you get 45 mins with the cats. The cats, there were so sweet and peaceful. Seems like they were very accustomed to people petting them. There were a few playful ones. The place is so relaxed and big enough where you can roam and pet different cats and have a space of your own. The Seattle location is tiny compared to this one.

INCREDIBLE idea, wonderful place and so thankful they're helping rescue cats and saving lives. The manager is passive aggressive though and makes the experience not as enjoyable. Wish she would at least smile when she was being passive aggressive. That would make it a little easier to take. Don't want to go back because of her.

There is an entry fee for this establishment.. which makes sense because it keeps this business running so they can keep saving kitties. :) They serve cookies, drinks and have a cute store with cat toys, bandannas and hoodies/shirts. I loved this place!! My first cat cafe and it helped us decide to go to Seattle to visit their other location! I think it was worth it. My kids loved it.

I found this place by an accident after finding out Woods was closed. A friend and I were too desperate for coffee so this place was it, finally! We bought coffee for $3.50 per person ($5.25 CDN after conversion via online banking) it was not bad. Too pricy for coffee to begin with. Admission was pretty expensive which was $15 per person. I've gone to Catfe in downtown Vancouver, but this place was quite different. Nice relaxed environment where cats sleep and run while passerby can peek into this cafe. Later people gets evoked by curiosity if cat cafe is new to them. Cute cafe to visit for sure. Service was friendly. I had a good time seeing cats through the entrance.

i love this place! i went while visiting a friend and it was so much fun! i will say, make sure to make a reservation before hand as spots for each hour fills up fast! the staff was so nice and the cats were so fun to play with. I'd definitely come if i'm ever in the area again!

Shout out to Zeus---the beautiful orange man who greeted us at the door. You the real MVP. This is definitely a place I'll be visiting again when I get a chance! The cats all seem genuinely content, happy and well cared for. The staff are really friendly. The space is pleasantly designed and is super comfortable! If you have spare time and want to hang out with some adorable felines or adopt, I'd recommend giving this place a try

I absolutely love neko cat cafe! I've been to the one in Seattle and Bellingham and like the Bellingham location more. The interior is so cute and super spacious. There are around 20 or so cats, so there are plenty to go around for all the visitors. They cats are generally super friendly and love to get pats, though there were a couple that got a little testy. The cat bouncers are awesome too. They're all so knowledgeable, and were able to answer all of the questions we had about the adoptable cats and which ones would fit what we were looking for the best. Definitely recommend spending some time here, though I will say if you're looking to adopt, it won't be the fastest process so you'll have to be patient.

Great experience, friendly staff and cute cats. Like the appointment time and that they had cats you could adopt .

Neko was just about the cutest place we've been to in Bellingham so far. We stopped in a few weeks ago to visit their holiday craft market and it was a really nice surprise to find that Neko was super clean. I've been to a few other cat cafes in different states and have generally found that there is a heavy cat box odor when you come inside, but that was, thankfully, not the case. You can tell that all of the cats are well taken care of and truly loved. It was pretty chilly the night we went, so most of the cats were in a sort of hibernation state when we arrived, but once the cat treats came out, they perked up. Neko also has a decent selection of drinks for purchase and some resident cat swag to buy. We had a really great time visiting Neko and will definitely be back.

My boyfriend and I were taking a day trip up to Bellingham to visit a cousin. I made reservations for the three of us to try out NEKO (we are all kitty fanatics)! This place certainly did not disappoint. I believe there were about 20ish kitties overall and they were all so sweet. One even jumped up on my boyfriend's shoulders, I tried to get a picture but he got down by the time I got my camera out. I like that they offer small bites and drinks while you enjoy the playtime. Be aware that you do have to make reservations to get in. I definitely plan to check out the café in Seattle as well...if anything it supports the felines!

We loved it. My daughter won't stop talking about it. We'll be back time and again I'm sure.

Highlight of our vacation. Our kids have been bugging us for years to go to a cat cafe and we were finally able to be in a location that had one. Neko's did not disappoint. My children absolutely loved it here, loved it so much that we had to come back a second time. Very clean, very friendly staff, and of course the cats are awesome. Highly recommend.

The cafe was clean and looked as though the cats were being taken care of. The food looked good and was reasonably priced. Would come back!

Purrrfect visit! My son and I were very excited to experience our first cat cafe and we were not disappointed. This place is adorable, clean and has happy kitties! We had one tiny mix up when we first got there and the manager (Im assuming?) was extremely accommodating and very helpful! The entire staff is sweet, knowledgeable and obviously work hard to keep guests and kitties happy. I loved hearing about the different cats and their quirks. We tried the cat cookies (YUM), Chai Tea on draft and a hot cocoa. Everything was great! I definitely want to plan another visit soon!

We only came for the kitties so we can't comment on merch or drinks. The place is very clean and kitties definitely feel safe and at home. No bad smells here either. It's a great place to socialize with your future kitty, help one get socialized, or just spend some quality time with a kitty purrrrrrr. Shout out to Peaches! We hope this lovable, cuddle-pus of a red head finds a loving forever home soon.

MY FAVORITE PLACE EVER. please come here at least once. the kitties are absolutely adorable and i love how you are able to adopt. the staff is very knowledgeable and so friendly, and you can get yummy drinks! also, the price is super reasonable for a 45 minute visit!

Our visit was so much fun!! Definitely worth visiting. We went at 1PM though, right after lunch, and most of the kitties were sleepy and not very active or playful, because they had just been fed. I'd recommend going sometime not right after a meal! But that was our fault lol.

This is a fun New spot especially if u have little ones! It's 10 a person. A little steep if u have 4 or more family members for 50 minutes..but they have lots of kitties all over that are super playful and love to cuddle I think it's great to bring adoptable cats here they get so much love each day It will be our special occasion spot for our littles for sure.. Thanks for the much needed fun

Gotta love an excuse to go and pet cats! I visited a cat café in Japan and was super excited to see this open up in Bellingham. Neko occupies the downstairs space of the Trek bike shop. Look out for the cat on the side of their building and you'll know you're in the right place. Make sure to make a reservation, it'll guarantee you a spot for 50 minutes ($10/session for cat supplies/wellbeing). They have an excellent selection of beer/ciders, coffee and some cat themed treats that you can purchase when you check in. They also have stickers! All cats are from the Whatcom Humane Society, and they have an awesome space to nap, climb, explore and hang out. If I were a cat, this would be the dream, unlimited pets whenever, treats and a comfy home. Cats are available for adoption, but the staff informed us that that wouldn't be available for the first month to allow the cats to adjust to their new space. There are spaces along the walls to sit and pet cats, and mats on the ground to play with the toys. I was pretty content just to give cats pets wherever they were, and all of them are super friendly and fun to hang out with. They definitely seemed sleepier in the late afternoon, and next time I'm in town I'll book for an earlier time to see more active cats.

When it comes to cat love, Neko does it best. They crush service, offer up some amazing retail and provide a space for you to love on some kitties and they can find permanent homes. They have leveled up the adoption game and also provide a stylish home and loving environment for their house cats. I love their retail, and want every single piece they have on their site. I can't wait to come back to Bellingham and visit their space here. In the meantime, I hope you consider checking them out and supporting local this holiday season.

Neko cat cafe was an AMAZING experience. Bellingham is so lucky to now have this unique place. The decoration looked great walking in and inside. The workers there were so nice and helpful and the cats were adorable. They just brought in kittens which were playful and so cute! I also got a strawberry honeybush tea which they had on tap. It was amazing and I'll cherish my memories here for a long time. Can't wait to go back to Neko!

So adorable and cheap!!! Definitely coming here EVERYDAY after school! My fav is Sunday! So adorable PLZ PET THEM!

NEKO cat cafe is a cool place to go especially during a rainy weekend in Bellingham. Unfortunately we unknowingly timed out reservation with a birthday group of about 10 eight year old girls so they monopolized they cat cafe a bit and drove the cats away. We still got plenty of petting in .

Loved the Bellingham Neko location that opened today. I had previously visited Neko in Seattle and although just as fun, the Bellingham location is much bigger and full of cats with lots of different personalities. Some sleepy, some playful, some lounging high up and some that wanted attention and treats. The pawtenders are there to help and there are small snacks and drinks available as well as merch. Lots of photo opportunities & seating. This will be my favorite indoor activity in town.

EDIT: I am happy the owner repsonded and hope they follow through with making the environment for the kitties better. I was offered a refund and a free item from the menu. I will not pursue the refund because the funds benefit the cats and I don't want to take that away from them. I am increasing my star rating because of the response. I was initially excited to go and had a reservation with a couple friends but upon arriving the two girls up front were not very clear or helpful as to how we were supposed to check in or when to go in even though we asked specific questions and kept getting passed back and forth between the two girls with no answers. One girl thought I had already been there and just came out even though I just arrived. After entering our session it seemed exciting at first but quickly became stressful. Other customers were being very rude and pushy with the cats and chasing them down. There was a backroom as a safe zone with cat doors that only the cats could enter but one customer was near the cat entrance at one point and forced one to come back out when it tried to escape. Some of the cats were fast asleep or out of reach on the shelves thankfully but the ones who were not looked very stressed and kept trying to escape people. There was a young boy in my group and he was far more well bahaved and considerate to the animals than the adults and he was the only child at this time. My friend mentioned the way people were behaving to one of the employees only for her to state that she nomrally tries to maintain them but was tired at the moment. Very loud bar music was also playing in the lounge area, which I believe only escalated the stress for some of the cats. I only bought one treat and although it was absolutely adorable it tatsed not so great. One of their teas I tried tasted exactly like cough syrup. Their drinks are pretty pricey so I would be cautious about trying them. I really want to like the idea of this place because it can promote adoption for the cats and give them a nicer large foster home until adopted but it was sad to see the stressed and overwhelmed cats. I think that a calmer and lower volume music should be played and the employess should be more consistent maintaining the rowdy cusotmers. I believe the environment was not a very healthy one for these animals. It was very sad to witness. I hope this business learns to make some adjustments for the sake of the cats health.

NEKO was an absolutely purrfect way to spend some afternoon time with the most adorable kitties! I love the concept to getting to play with adoptable cats who get play, affection and love in the sweetest decorated space. You do need to make a reservation in advance and is $10 for 1 hr. My only feedback was there are 25 people capacity for the room and it felt crowded. Everyone is trying to pet cats that are in reach, while many of the cats are comfortably lounging up high on the shelves and unable to pet. I hope they might reconsider to limit the room to 15-20 people at most. This would allow more of us to have an opportunity to pet the cats and sit near where they are, as many of us didn't get much of an opportunity to sit and pet the cats. You aren't allowed to pick up the cats, and get to pet them only if in reach or pet if they come to snuggle and jump on your lap. There are cat toys, the staff handed out little treats to help entice the cats to come to you, and is a very comfortable and fun space. Staff was super friendly, the cafe offered some sweet treats and drinks, and all fees go to help take care of the animals.

This place is Ahhhhh-mazing. My kiddo loves cats and had been begging to go here. Brought my mom too and it was the best $33 I've ever spent. Staff was so nice, and the kitties are so cute. Had some come up to me and just lay down in my lap! (My one cat doesn't do that unless he's hungry.... my cat is kind of a jerk) Regarding Covid precautions: staff was masked and asked us to stay masked until we were in our own spaces. The place was very clean and everyone was respectfully our space. We will for sure be back!

Love love love!! Wish the session was longer. It's a bit spends for the time allowed. Love all the kitties.

Mwow! So in love with this heart felt concept and follow through! The bonding pad is where it is at last time I was there. I love the little fuzzy donut beds they have out for the kitties to snuggle in - they look so happy! Monday morning was a great time to go. The strawberry Smith tea on tap is soooo yummy! Yay happy cats!

Just a great experience. Took my kids, who all loved it. Compassionate cool staff. Just go there.

So fun. Kittens galore and friendly staff. Also worth hanging out with the felines. Go check it out- purchase a super soft T-sort and help the cause.

Had such a great experience here. Lots of cute cats, many of which loved cuddling and sitting on your lap. You could feed them treats as well. And great beverages, snacks, etc.

Cool spot but been trying to call all day and apparently every minute for the past 3 hours their phones have been busy. It's says the called party is busy but I know they haven't had that many phone calls. Love the spot but somethings going one with their phones

This was my first stop in Bellingham and it was so fun. Cats are soft and well taken care of and so SO sweet! The merch is adorable as well, I'll buy some for my own cat.

The infamous NEKO Cat Cafe has finally come to Bellingham! It is a spacious area filled with comfy places to lounge and a lot of spaces for these adoptable cats to sleep. I had expected there to be a lot of them roaming around, but our 2:00 reservation ($10 for 1 hr) was after a group of kids and the majority of the cats were exhausted and went to rest waaaay up in the cubbies. You cannot pick up a cat, but you can pat any within reach and there are plenty of toys to entice the ones who are wandering around to be pet. The Cat handler also gave us 3 cat nibbles to bribe a cat over to us. The handler was a really a great Hostess and kept checking on my friend and I and helped get a cat close enough for us to pat in our laps. The beverage selection great and it was fun seeing cats (asleep) on chairs, in tubes, boxes, beds and even on a chair at the bar! Tip: try going in the morning when the cats are more active.

I love this place, I went to the Seattle one for my birthday last year and went here for my birthday this year, both times it's been amazing.

Love the cats here! The staff is nice and they are taking a lot of precautions since covid. The cats are really taken care of they seem pretty happy.

Quality food and drink, friendly faces, and beautiful wonderful cats- what more could you ask for?!

This place is super rad. The cats are chill and love all the pets from the patrons. If they don't want the love, the have multiple places they can get away from the hustle and bustle of the excited customers. I counted 20 something cats while I was there so there were plenty of kitties to accept pets from people. The drink selection was good, I liked the beer selection and the nitro iced coffee was bomb. I didn't try the snacks but they look cool and fit the vibe. The ambiance is super cool, many zones to choose from to hang out in and all seem to have there own lighting vibe. I don't know what you call the look of the place, chic, industrial/contemporary, I don't know but I dig it. I'll be coming back multiple times for sure!

If I could give this negative 5 stars I would. You have to book an appointment? AND pay $10.00 before you can even actually go in? I went there today and it was crowded as heck, and nobody was even inside the actual cafe part. It was only 2:30pm and it was booked for the rest of the day and so I couldnt to in. I've been to other cat cafes where you dont need to pay a fee before going in and you can just walk in and sit anywhere, not wait forever before getting to go in the actual cafe part like Neko. Absolutely awful. Like if you have to pay $10.00 before going in, how much are the drinks and cats? If you wanna give cats to a loving home they shouldnt be too expensive.

Was very excited to see a cat café! I went in with high expectations, as someone who's owned cats my entire life, and Neko has surpassed them in every way. If you're a cat lover, this is a must-visit café; I hope that they are open for a very long time. Along with that, after the cats are settled, they will be available for adoption-- at which time I will surely adopt one. This is the first time a business has gone so above and beyond to the point where I felt I should leave a review, if that gives you any indication to the quality of this establishment.

My partner and I had a WONDERFUL time at NEKO during their first weekend open for Phase 2. They were very mindful about people sanitizing, socially distancing properly, and wearing masks. The cafe was super clean and filled with an assortment of playing, hiding, and sleeping spots for the kitties. The kitties were also lovely! There were 25 of them, so lots of opportunities to interact and cuddle. The staff were all professional and talkative answering questions about the kitties and were very positive to be around. Highly recommend, great stress reliever, and would definitely go back!

Great spot to hang out and grab a tasty beverage f one's choice. Cats are great and so are the cute owners. Will be back!

I took my girls here on opening day as a Valentine's Day treat for them. Although the cats were all hiding since it was their first day with so many guests, the girls had a lot of fun with the few cats that were out exploring all their visitors. So many places for these little kitties to hide, so many places for the kitties to play, so many toys to play with them, and you could give them treats! It was a very nice environment and the fact that you could run a tab while you were there was convenient-maybe a little too convenient! Good thing you are limited to 50 mins at a time! You can buy cat headbands, stickers, mugs, etc. such a wonderful place and we will definitely be back! Glad they finally opened one of these in our town! And the fact that these cats are all available for adoption through the Whatcom Humane Society makes it even better! As they would say at the cat cafe-it's purrrrrfect!