How to Visit the Cat Cafe in Edinburgh, Maison de Moggy

Cat Cafe in Edinburgh: All About Maison de Moggy

Maison de Moggy is the first cat cafe in Scotland, opening in 2015 (the only other cat cafe in Scotland is the Purrple Cat Cafe in Glasgow). The idea for cat cafes originated in Taipei, Taiwan in 1998 and the phenomenon quickly spread worldwide.

At Maison de Moggy, customers are invited to visit the resident cats while having the option to enjoy some beverages or dessert. The cats at Maison de Moggy are well cared for by the cafe owners and they live at the cafe full time (they aren't up for adoption).

This cat cafe in Edinburgh is a paradise for cats as there are so many places for them to play, run, hide and sleep. There are multi-level cat houses, places for the cats to jump and climb, and there are also spots where they can go to be alone if they need some time away from people.

This is also a very therapeutic place for people to visit. There are so many relaxing and soothing qualities to sitting with the cats. All of the cats have their own personalities and it's really fun to meet them all.

Furthermore, Maison de Moggy has a French theme as all of the cats have French names.

What to Expect When Visiting Edinburgh's Cat Cafe

First, you'll need to book your trip to Maison de Moggy ahead of time. The time slots are one hour long, which includes your time with the cats, enjoying food/drink, and perhaps doing a little shopping.

Make sure you arrive 5 minutes early as the staff will go over a few simple house rules with you.

With your hour at Maison de Moggy, divide your time between meeting the cats, ordering a drink and dessert, asking the staff any questions you might have, and picking up some souvenirs of your favorite kitties.

Partway into our visit, one of the staff members (the "Cat Nanny") came out with some cat treats. Many of the cats gathered around her for a snack. At the same time, she told stories and specific details about each cat and also answered questions.

More About the Cats of Maison de Moggy

The residents of this Edinburgh cat cafe are all raised from kittens and Maison de Moggy is their permanent home. There are several different breeds of cats living at the cafe, and of course every cat has their own personality.

Every cat socializes with humans from a young age. For this reason, Maison de Moggy does not have any rescued cats, but the owners support cat rescues in other ways.

Veterinarians regularly care for the cats, and they're all spayed or neutered. The team at Maison de Moggy puts the health and welfare of the cats first, and they're able to spot if the cats are feeling stressed or unhappy.

If that's the case, they'll be removed from the cat cafe and able to rest on their own. The cats can also leave to the isolated resting space away from people anytime they like as well.

Meet the Edinburgh Cat Cafe Residents

Update: These cats were at Maison de Moggy when I visited. Since my visit, some of them have retired. So, you won't be able to meet some of these cats. The good news: there are other cats to meet that I can't wait to see on my next visit.

Now here's the best part...meeting the cats! They are all so beautiful and have their own personalities, whether they're friendly, curious, lazy, or a bit on the timid side.

I fell in love with all of the cats, though my favorite cat was sweet Alain, the ragdoll with his little moustache.

Alain also has a ragdoll sister named Amelie who looks a bit like a fluffy toasted marshmallow. Coco Carbonelle is a black British Short Hair with striking eyes and a glossy coat. Pauline is the shy Maine Coon with polydactyl paws (an extra thumb!).

Guillaume is a white poofy Chinchilla Persian named after Shakespeare as he comes from Stratford Upon Avon.

Marcel and Philippe are both Bengal-Siamese twins with gorgeous spotted markings and charming personalities.

Jacques is a white Norwegian Forest Cat and he's the eldest cat at the cafe.

The cats who have retired since my last visit include Alain, Amelie, Guillaume, Coco Carbonelle, Pauline, Jacques, Marcel and Philippe. So...that's all of them!

Right now, you can meet Genevieve, Didier, Nicolas, Florent, Bartholomew, Gilbert, Fleur and Maude.

Maison de Moggy's Shop

There are some wonderful little souvenirs for purchase at Maison de Moggy featuring the cats themselves. I picked up a pair of earrings and an enamel pin during my trip.

Now, every time I wear them, I think about the darling kitties at the cat cafe in Edinburgh. One of my friends purchased some coasters of her favorite cats.

There are also mugs, cotton tote bags, cushion covers, clothing, tea towels, temporary tattoos, postcards, patches, stationary, a Christmas ornament and a calendar.

If you didn't purchase anything in person but you're having some major regrets, there is an online shop for Maison de Moggy. I believe that they also ship worldwide (I noticed that they ship to Canada and the USA at the very least).

Food and Drink at Maison de Moggy

When you'd like to take a break from the cats, take a seat at one of the tables in the cat cafe to order food or drink. The cafe menu has a variety of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate beverages. There are also usually some sweets, like slices of cake.

There are always gluten-free and vegan offerings at Maison de Moggy. I was pleasantly surprised to find that even the hot chocolate could be made vegan as they have coconut whipped cream. I also ordered a vegan slice of cake, the Biscoff cake.

My friends and I visited this Edinburgh cat cafe and we all ordered some drinks and cake. Many of the drinks look so pretty - even one had a paw print in cocoa powder on top of it!

Plan Your Visit to the Cat Cafe in Edinburgh

If you're an animal lover, specifically a cat lover, definitely set aside an hour of your day in Edinburgh to see the cats at Maison de Moggy.

I had a truly wonderful time and it's a great break from sightseeing. Play with the cats, sip a coffee or tea, and enjoy your trip to the cat cafe.

How and When to Book Your Visit

Book your visit in advance from their official website. Time slots open one month in advance.

You must provide 48 hours notice if you need to change or cancel your plans. Please be on time and in fact, be sure to arrive 5 minutes early.

While the hours of operation are subject to change, right now you can visit between 10:00am and 1:30pm, from 2:00pm to 5:30pm, and from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.

Please note that the cats are given breaks from people between 1:30pm and 2:00pm and from 5:30pm to 6:00pm. Maison de Moggy is open 7 days a week.

Please note that only children over the age of 10 can enter the cafe. They also ask that children between the ages of 10 to 14 are accompanied by one adult per child so the adult can keep watch over them. They don't make any exceptions to this rule.

There are a small list of rules to follow aside from the ones I'm mentioning here and below. Read through their requests before you make your booking as you'll be able to read them right on the booking website.

The Rules

First, please do not pick up the cats and cuddle them. It could be stressful to the cats, they might not want to be cuddled, and it would be simply too much for them to be cuddled by people all day, every day.

Instead, gently approach the cat to see if they'd like to be petted. Or you can try playing with them - there are many toys for the cats. Cats do sleep up to 16 hours per day so it's likely that some of them will be resting when you're there.

Remove your shoes when you arrive, as well as use hand sanitizer (it's provided). You can take photos of the cats, but please don't use the flash and don't put your phones into the cats' faces.

Respect the personal space of the cats. Approach them if they're lounging, but be mindful of how they're feeling. If they're sleeping, don't wake them up.

Don't feed the cats any food or drink from the cafe, and don't bring your own treats or toys for the cats.

Visiting Edinburgh's cat cafe, Maison de Moggy, is one of the most fun things to do in the city. It's an inexpensive activity, a great way to escape the rain, or simply a great way to rest your legs and unwind.

They've also got some of the best coffee, tea and sweet treats. If you love cats, don't miss this wonderful little gem in Edinburgh.