Clawing back normality: Bangkok cat cafe reopens after virus shutdown

By Artorn Pookasook and Juarawee Kittisilpa

 

Customers play with cats to find comfort at the Caturday Cat cafe after the government started opening some restaurants outside shopping malls, parks and barbershops, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Juarawee Kittisilpa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - As Thailand's capital cautiously reopens many restaurants shuttered over coronavirus fears, the feline "employees" of the Caturday Cafe are back at work.

 

The few dozen friendly cats typically lounge around the cafe, breaking up naptime to saunter over to human customers for snuggles and belly rubs.

 

The friendly furballs give some much-needed outside contact for Thais who have mostly been confined to home during weeks of semi-lockdown with most non-essential businesses closed.

 

"Earlier, we could not go out anywhere which makes us a bit stressed out. But since we can come to meet the cats, we feel more at ease and relaxed," said regular customer Pantip Keeseeree, who said she came as soon as she heard the cafe had reopened.

 

Like other businesses across Thailand, the cafe has new rules aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. Before entering, customers must have their temperature checked and wash their hands, and once inside must wear a mask at all times.

 

"Actually, the number of customers is nothing like it used to be. Over 50% have decreased for both Thai and foreign customers," said cafe owner Arisa Limpanawongsanon.

 

Arisa has a total of 50 cats, of several different breeds, and around 35 of them rotate between her home and the cafe every now and then.

 

As an extra precaution, the cats have dry baths, their fur brushed and eyes cleaned every day.

 

Thailand on Friday reported eight new coronavirus cases but no deaths, bringing the total to 3,000 cases and 55 deaths since the outbreak started in January.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-08

 

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Good news for those of us who like to stroke a little pussy

Not a good idea, news reported weeks ago that cat and dogs can carry covid-19.

Bring your healthy cat to cat cafe, return home with a freshly infected cat, now with Covid-19.

Bad idea.

3 hours ago, OnTheGround said:

Not a good idea, news reported weeks ago that cat and dogs can carry covid-19.

Bring your healthy cat to cat cafe, return home with a freshly infected cat, now with Covid-19.

Bad idea.

 

You don't take your own cat there.

 

You sit, with the overpowering stench of the multiple resident cats p*** and s*** burning your nostrils, wondering what made you think it was such a charming idea to visit one.

 

While the freaky cat person overseeing the place keeps watching you, as if they think you're going to rape or murder the only living things that their weird, ****** up emotions can deal with.

 

Won't be doing that again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bet the owner would get more (albeit, one-time-only) customers if they renamed the place “Pussy Café”

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Clawing back normality: Bangkok cat cafe reopens after virus shutdown

There is absolutely nothing even remotely resembling normality about a cafe where you consume food and drink amidst a bunch of hairy, moulting, flea ridden felines, who bury their faeces in litter boxes, and then walk all over the tables and chairs. 

cats are a lot cleaner than a lot of farangs i have seen over here

Edited May 9, 20206 yr by malibukid

and they want the cat cafe open and ready, for the first hungry CCP tourists... ???? 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Clawing back normality: Bangkok cat cafe reopens after virus shutdown

Normality being the guy in the pic not wearing a mask?

Are all these newsclips on this site routed and approved by Reuters? What does Reuters have to do with any of this?