The Covid-19 pandemic is an absolute killer on travel plans.
But if you think human hotels are the only ones suffering, think again.
Because as this cat hotel has shown, Covid-19 doesn’t get the concept of boundaries.
Cat Hotel Turned into Cat Cafe Since No One is Travelling
This man is Kevin Chiak, 54 years old, a former Mr Singapore and the chief cat officer of Catopia.
Catopia was previously a cat boarding house (or, as the cats in the office like to call it, the only hotel fit to accommodate them), set up in 2016 as a passion project.
However, with Covid-19, the number of furry guests at the hotel plummeted since owners are no longer travelling anymore and don’t need anyone to take care of their cats when they’re away, Chiak told 8Days in an interview.
They had housed over 500 cats over the past two years but when Covid-19 hit, they had “no business”.
Turning Into A Cat Cafe
As Wang Lei has shown, you either pivot or you die.
And Chiak decided to change up his business model.
After his lease was up, he shifted home with 22 other cats to a space which allows F&B operations at Little India and opened up a cat cafe.
The space is two-storey and has resting areas for his “feline” staff.
An hour at the cafe will cost you 12 bucks, and it’ll come with a complimentary drink.
If an hour isn’t enough for you to chill and while your hours away, you can add time at $6 an hour.
It was added that the cats there appear to be contented and sociable (or as sociable as cats can be anyway).
Was his cafe bringing in enough money to support the entire operation?
No.
Chiak, who also runs his own company called Fitness Movement League, conducts personal training to bring in extra money to feed the cats (and himself).
Feeding the cats are “therapeutic”, he said.
Staycation Option Available
So let’s say you want the cat out of the way for a night or two, does Catopia still offer that service?
Apparently, yes.
He had rented another space nearby, equipped with the necessary facilities to house cats.
According to the Catopia website, free-flow food is provided along with the option to add on transportation if needed.
There are also plans for the cafe to hold cat adoption drives so if you stay in a place that allows cats, you might want to follow them on their Facebook page.
Details:
Address: 46A Dunlop St, S209375
Contact: 9388 8893
Operating Hours:
- Mon (4-9pm)
- Tues to Fri (11am-9pm)
- Sat & Sun (10am-8pm)
- Cats’ nap time (4-5pm, Tue-Sun) [No workers so cafes will be closed]
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