For those with limited time in Santiago but a heart full of feline affection, the dilemma of choosing which cat cafe to visit is easily solved. El Mundo de Dalí Cat Cafe and La Casa de la Gata Horacia are conveniently located just a 15-minute stroll apart in the charming Providencia neighborhood, making it delightfully simple to experience both in a single afternoon. Prepare for a double dose of purrs and delightful coffee!
El Mundo de Dalí Cat Café
Approaching El Mundo de Dalí Cat Café without a prior reservation felt like a scene from a bygone era of exclusive New York discos, complete with a velvet rope. Would entry be granted? A brief moment of anticipation later, and the answer was a resounding yes.
This Santiago cat cafe proved to be the more aesthetically pleasing of the two, boasting a beautiful garden area alongside several indoor rooms thoughtfully equipped with climbing shelves for its feline residents. Approximately a dozen cats call El Mundo de Dalí home. Notably, unlike many cat cafes globally that focus on rehoming, the cats here are permanent residents of the café itself. This is their sanctuary.
Visiting on a warm afternoon, the garden was pleasantly occupied by around ten patrons enjoying refreshments and conversation. Opting for a ground-level seat, a graceful long-haired grey cat named Carboncito promptly made himself comfortable on my lap. A staff member provided a laminated card detailing each cat’s profile, complete with QR codes for further information, including names, known birthdates, and personality traits.
Initially, most cats maintained a relaxed distance from the customers, perhaps due to the afternoon heat. However, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when a staff member began distributing squeezy cat treats. Suddenly, previously unseen cats emerged, transforming the cafe into a flurry of excited felines. A hungry flame point Siamese, a charming Scottish Fold, a pair of sleek black cats, and another grey cat all eagerly gathered, vying for treats. This treat distribution proved to be the most engaging form of interaction, as toys were not readily available.
Entry to El Mundo de Dalí Cat Cafe is 5,000 Chilean pesos. It’s a worthwhile spot to savor coffee in the company of cats. However, it’s important to note that the cats are quite at home and not overly concerned with impressing visitors. Groups larger than five are required to make reservations in advance.
Casa de la Gata Horacia
A short walk from El Mundo de Dalí brings you to Casa de la Gata Horacia, a cat cafe spanning three floors of a corner building. Easily identifiable by its exterior adorned with cat-themed art, Casa de la Gata Horacia offers a different, yet equally delightful, experience. The first floor is dedicated to ordering, the second floor for enjoying your food and drinks, and the third floor is the dedicated cat playroom.
Casa de la Gata Horacia operates with a 5,000-peso minimum consumption for food and drinks. After ordering and payment, you are free to ascend to the cat interaction zone. If there’s a time limit for playing with the cats, it wasn’t mentioned during the visit. Notably, all food offerings are vegetarian or vegan, catering to conscious eaters. A soy cappuccino and sparkling water comfortably covered the entry fee.
While cats may occasionally venture down to the second floor where guests are dining on vegetarian pizzas or cakes, the majority reside on the third floor. This level features a dedicated playroom and a spacious catio equipped with litter boxes and feeding stations. Within the playroom, cats can be found lounging on climbing structures and relaxing in fabric tunnels. Similar to El Mundo de Dalí, toys were scarce, with only a small ball available which was enthusiastically chased by a few cats when thrown.
A key distinction from El Mundo de Dalí is that Casa de la Gata Horacia facilitates cat adoptions. The stairwell leading to the second floor is adorned with heartwarming photos of “adoptados,” showcasing cats that have successfully found their forever homes through the cafe.
A thoughtful touch at Casa de la Gata Horacia is the provision of brushes. Upon heading upstairs, a staff member offered a brush, saying, “You can pet them with this.” This explains the incredibly soft and glossy coats of the resident felines, maintained through the attentive grooming by visitors.
All cats at Horacia are rescues from the Emilia Sanctuary. As stated on their website, these are “cats that have experienced abandonment but today enjoy the comfort of a house designed especially for them.” Beyond being a cat cafe, Horacia also hosts yoga classes, reiki sessions, literary and artistic workshops, and conscious eating workshops, adding to its community-focused appeal.
Visit the Santiago Cat Cafes!
For any cat enthusiast visiting Santiago, these cat cafes offer a delightful opportunity to immerse yourself in feline company and combat any feelings of travel loneliness. Whether you prefer the garden ambiance of El Mundo de Dalí or the adoption focus of Casa de la Gata Horacia, both Santiago cat cafes promise a purr-fectly enjoyable experience.
