Cat Cafes-A purrr-fect model for resort destination stray cats 

Hotel & Resort Cat Cafes

A Cat Cafe program is a creative solution for destination stakeholders in tourism to manage the abundance of stray cats by providing a humane population management strategy, animal health care and sterilization, while providing an improved guest experience and work experience for the hotel and resort staff.

 

Key Features

  • Dedicated space where cats can sleep, eat, and drink
  • Ensures cats are healthy, nourished, and not scavenging
  • A safe zone for cats during bad weather
  • A place for guests who like cats to spend time with them
  • Keeps feeding and litter away from guest dining areas
  • Informational boards about each cat (names, stories, personalities)
  • Tips on how to interact respectfully with cats
  • Guests can sponsor a cat’s care or even adopt
  • Creates an attraction for social media sharing
  • Enhances brand image through ethical tourism practices

Stray Cats

A big hairy problem

The Economics of Stray Cats and Tourism

A survey of 1,200 US and Canadian tourists revealed that stray cats have a measurable effect on a substantial number of travelers’ vacation experiences.

Public Health

  • Disease, sanitation and safety concerns
  • Quality of life, smell, allergic reactions

Environment

  • Ecosystems of rare species, an asset of a destination, are vulnerable cat attacks
  • Stray cats on islands have contributed to the overall extinction of 33 species and are a threat to 8% of critically endangered birds, mammals, and reptiles

Animal Welfare

  • Mass killings of cats is inhumane and does not address the long term problem
  • Poison, is a popular method of eradication, also inadvertently kills other land animals and marine life

Stray Cats Effects On Destinations

 

Cats producing two litters a year can exponentially produce as many as 420,000 over a period of seven years 

Stray Cats & Tourism

A 2020 survey of 445 consumers revealed:

  • Stray cats are experienced by visitors at restaurants and lodging as often as on the street
  • The majority of respondents believe the tourism board or DMO should humanely support cat population management to protect native species and human health
  • Seeing stray cats causes visitors to be sad, disgusted, angry and fearful
  • 80% would NOT visit a destination or business where the cat population is managed inhumanly  

A Change For Good

Results

  • Improved guest experience.
  • Reduced health risks to guests and employees
  • Enhanced public image to consumers
  • The cats have a central feeding area, and are not roaming around the hotel grounds, kitchens, and restaurants seeking food.
  • The existing population becomes healthier and non-reproductive.

Impact

  • Increase of returning guest reservations
  • Increase the number of first time guests, who seek to patronize businesses who prioritize social good, and animal welfare.
  • Employment opportunities and increased business for local veterinarians
  • Healthy existing cat populations.
  • Reduction of stray cat population.
  • Reduced predatory attacks on local wildlife populations