Paws under pressure

Quirky cat café crippled by costs and ‘ghost town’ location

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor [e-mail]

WALES’ only cat cafe is facing an uncertain future in the face of rising costs and declining footfall.

The Little Gatito in Rhyl, Denbighshire, opened in late March offering people the chance to dine in the company of up to 18 felines.

Owner Nicole Revayova, from Dyserth, uses the facility as “meet and greet” centre for rescued kittens and cats ready for new homes. Although customers say the cats are friendly, and the cakes and crepes are delicious, some complain their food is being snatched before it can be eaten.

Even without staff, Nicole has struggled to generate a profit. Gas and electricity runs to £650 a month, in addition to rent and business rates. In hindsight, she admits it was a tough ask to establish a business in a town where the High Street is struggling and residents are suffering more than most in the cost-of-living crisis.

Not long after opening, the cafe was given a one-out-of-five food hygiene rating by the Food Standards Agency, which said “major improvements” were needed. While these were technical issues, soon remedied, Nicole, a chef, is now facing another potential threat.

“Denbighshire Council is insisting I get a performing animal licence for my cats,” she said. “It’s ridiculous, we are not a circus! I speak to other cat cafes in Liverpool and Nottingham and they don’t need licences. Only in Wales are they needed”

Under the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925, Denbighshire Council says anyone who “exhibits, uses or trains performing animals” must be registered. Police and local authority officers have the power to enter premises and inspect animals for potential cruelty.