UPDATE: First Maine Cat Cafe is Now Open!!

We’re delighted to share that the first Maine cat cafe is now open! The MEow Cat Lounge  opened in July 2023 in Westbrook,  just east of Portland.

With the second highest cat ownership in the nation and an eponymous cat breed (the Maine Coon), Downeasters were destined for their very own cat cafe.

The U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook ranks Maine in the top five states for pet loving people,  suggesting Maine is the purrfect cat cafe opportunity. That’s right: Maine is one of the best states in the country to find your fellow cat people. While the state has the lightest population density east of the Mississippi, but they lead Google searches for cats.

Yup, for five years running Mainers have been searching for cats on Google more than any other state in country. Maybe Mainers like to watch cat videos during those long Down East winters? Actually, yes, Google data says they do -our kind of  people!

Raise a Glass with Brewery Cats

Perhaps Downeasters prefer a different drink offering to the caffeine centric cafes found in other states? Beyond the delightful offerings at the Portland area’s MEow Lounge, Maine has a handful of  brewery cats -breweries with resident cats. The long standing tradition of brewery cats, working cats that guard brewery grain, is seeing a grand revival with the growth of craft breweries. So after  you have tea with adoptable cats at MEow Cafe, why not belly up to the bar with a working cat to enjoy a a nice farmhouse ale?

Go to the Odd Alewives Farm Brewery in Waldoboro for a chance to meet Rocket. Requiring equal parts ale ambassador, marketing genius, mouser, and regular cat, being a brewery cat is a big job.

You might find Rocket in the tasting room barn, or out on patrol. Either way, you won’t find a better way to meet Maine cats.

 

About twelve miles down the road, you can visit another brewery cat, Dizzy of Oxbow Brewing Company. If you can’t get there in person, follow Dizzy’s very own Instagram.

 

We say cheers to Maine cats, with your beverage of choice!