Collage of various cats at the DeLand Cat Café.

DeLand Cat Café – A Purrfect Day Trip Near Orlando for Cat Lovers

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Imagine sipping a coffee while surrounded by playful cats in a cozy, inviting space dedicated to furry friends who are looking for their forever homes. At the DeLand Cat Café, it’s not just about spending time with adorable kitties; it’s also about supporting a community effort to help rescue cats find loving families. Whether you’re a lifelong cat lover or just curious to see what it’s all about, this family-friendly spot offers an experience full of purrs, play, and plenty of opportunities to make some whiskered friends. Keep reading for all the details!

And orange and white adult cat with half open eyes sits curled up on a grey chair with wood arm rests at the DeLand Cat Café.
He might not look like it, but this is a very chatty kitty!

Table of Contents

A group of older kids posing at the door outside of the DeLand Cat Café.
Obligatory photo before going into the DeLand Cat Café.

Where is the DeLand Cat Café?

The DeLand Cat Café is on the east side of DeLand, about 40 minutes north of Orlando and 30 minutes west of Daytona Beach. It is in the same building as Trilogy Kitchen. The address is 844 East New York Ave., Unit B, DeLand, FL 32724.

What is the DeLand Cat Café?

Cat cafés started in Taiwan in the late 90s. The original idea was to provide a place for cat lovers to enjoy them, especially for those who can’t afford to keep them or aren’t allowed to. 

The DeLand Cat Café is a place for adoptable pets to socialize and find forever homes. They work with local Volusia County rescues and shelters, the Halifax Humane Society, New Hope Animal Shelter, and Volusia County Animal Services to create this safe and cage-free environment.

Five cats are gathered around a cat toy and playing at the DeLand Cat Café .
Playtime!

Why Visit the DeLand Cat Café?

First and foremost, the best reason to visit the DeLand Cat Café is THE CATS! Of course, the end goal of the Café is for these cats to be adopted into loving homes, but you can go and just love on the cats without making any commitments. 

Secondly, your visit helps fund this incredible fostering facility for cats that keeps them safe and social, which brings me to the fact that there is an admission fee. It’s not much, but it might seem odd until you realize how much it costs to run a facility like this, including food, litter, electricity, cleaning, etc. Although there is an adoption fee for each cat, it goes directly to the shelters and rescues the adopted cat came from. 

A small tabby adult cat curled up on a grey chair looking over their shoulder at the DeLand Cat Café.
Lounging but alert.

Wait, Am I Drinking Coffee With Cats?

If you want to drink coffee with cats, this is definitely your opportunity to do so, but if you purrfer (ha!) your coffee to be cat-free, you can do that too. The DeLand Cat Café is right next to Trilogy Kitchen, a locally owned breakfast, lunch, and coffee place (YUM), but the two are separate. You have to walk outside of one to get to the other. So, if you are having breakfast at Trilogy Kitchen, you won’t have cats sitting on your lap. 

However, I recommend that you get your beverages at Trilogy and then enjoy them in the Cat Café. I’ve grabbed a coffee at Trilogy and then gone next door with it and spent an hour petting cats. Nothing beats combining my two favorite things. Just to clarify, only drinks are allowed in the cat café; kitties shouldn’t snack on human food! 

Two girls petting a torti adult cat at the DeLand Cat Café.
Everyone here is enjoying themselves.

Quick Tips About Cat Behavior

If you haven’t spent much time with cats, you might not understand their behavior, and this is important to know when you visit a cat café.

Approach a cat slowly and mindfully. They don’t appreciate loud noises, but it can be easy to startle a cat if you approach too quietly.

If you get a scratch, make sure to wash it thoroughly with soap and water. 

Best Places to Pet a Cat

A graphic with five black cats showing the areas that cats like to be pet.
Here’s a helpful guide to petting cats. Created by yours truly, Jessica, AKA The Cat Whisperer.

Cats are picky. A dog wants to be pet absolutely everywhere and loves belly rubs the most. Cats are not like that at all! Most like to be pet on the head, behind the ears, under the chin, or on their back near the base of the tail. Otherwise, they prefer you to pet them with your eyes. Of course, there are always outliers, but this is a good place to start. 

Wagging Tails

Unlike dogs, a wagging tail on a cat is not happiness. It’s typically a warning sign. If you are petting or playing with a cat displaying this behavior, pause for a little bit and give the cat some space. Some cats will continue to wag their tails for some time. 

Wiggly Butt

I know that’s not a scientific term, but you’ll know it when you see it. This typically means that the cat is preparing to pounce or run quickly to a place. This is playful behavior.

Pinned Ears

If a cat flattens their ears, they are not happy. I recommend giving the cat time and space.

Hisses and Growls

If a cat hisses or growls, this is a sign that they want to be left alone. Do not continue to engage with them.

Rubbing Against Your Leg

This cat is interested in interacting with you. But it can quickly go from “Please pet me” to “Never pet me again,” so watch carefully for other signs. 

An adult tabby cat sitting on a chair looking up to grab a cat treat from someone's hand at the DeLand Cat Café.
My daughter giving a kitty a treat!

Experiences at the DeLand Cat Café

So we already talked about the coffee you can take into the café, but there’s still more that you can do. 

Snack time!

Bring your quarters to the DeLand Cat Café to buy snacks for the cats. There’s an old-school vending machine in the cat lounge where you can buy a handful of cat treats. The cats know what you’re doing, so be prepared for nearly every cat to run toward you when they hear you twist the handle. 

Kitten Room

Kittens are kept in a separate room at the cat café. It’s relatively small, and you will be given very specific instructions about how to conduct yourself. 

Kittens in this room are weaned but can be quite young and small, so be extra gentle with them. Kittens are either super playful or sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. 

Please note that you cannot give them the snacks that you purchased for the other cats. Those are for adult cats only. 

Did Someone say Birthday Pawty?

You can have a party at the DeLand Cat Café. This is the ultimate way to celebrate a cat lover’s special day! You get exclusive access to the cat lounge and kitten room with cat-themed decor and goodie bags. You’ll need to provide your own food, cake, and drinks. 

Two kittens at the DeLand Cat Café Kitten Room snuggled together, the bottom black kitten is asleep while the kitten on top looks up at the camera.
Snuggly kittens in the Kitten Room.

How to Plan a Perfect Visit to DeLand Cat Café

  1. Check out the FAQ at the DeLand Cat Café website.
  2. Make a Reservation. Walk-ins are welcome, but you will not be guaranteed access since space is limited. 
  3. Start collecting your quarters for the cat treat vending machine!
  4. Stop by Trilogy Kitchen before your reserved time to grab a coffee. If you decide you want to have breakfast or lunch before, make sure you set aside enough time to order and eat. 
  5. Head over to the café in time for your reservation.
  6. Pet cats!
The face of black and white adult cat at the DeLand Cat Café.
Someone is looking for love!

My Experience Visiting the DeLand Cat Café

I’ve been to the cat café twice. The main reason I haven’t gone there more often is that there is always a danger of bringing home cats. That may not seem like a big problem, but at one point we had 6 cats, and I don’t want a repeat of that.

During both visits, I had kids with me. Some were well-versed in cat personalities and behaviors, and others hadn’t had as much experience. Both visits were wonderful. We stayed just over an hour each time. The kitten room is very sweet, with tiny purring kittens everywhere you look. The cat lounge has multiple rooms with chairs and couches where you can sit and often be joined by curious cats. The purrs aren’t as easy to come by with the adult cats, but they are still playful and happy for pets, as long as we follow their lead, of course. 

I’m a huge fan of Trilogy Kitchen as well. So, grabbing a tea and snack before hitting the cat café is a must for me. 

Whether you’re a seasoned cat whisperer or just looking for a unique way to spend an hour, the DeLand Cat Café is a purrfect mix of relaxation, fun, and feline charm—just be prepared to leave with a full heart (and maybe a new furry family member)!

A woman bends down to pet a cat that is standing on a grey couch at the DeLand Cat Café.
It’s me petting a cute cat and drinking yummy coffee.

Looking for More Family-friendly Fun in and around DeLand?

Since a visit to the DeLand Cat Café won’t take up your whole day, here are some other fun activities nearby to round out your trip!

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