I was in a cat cafe this morning. The cafe is really professional with their cats. They take good care of them and provide them with a clean and large space to live in. They also enforce some rules on customers to ensure the safety of the cats. All the cats are healthy and their coats are shiny and they are very well socialized. I had a really good time there.

There are some cages in a corner of the room for kittens and cats that need a place to stay in, but they look so beautiful and cozy that I prefer to call them “rooms” because they look nothing like cages. There was a pair of Maine Coon kittens in one room and they were meowing to get out. I used a spoon to play with them and they eagerly engaged in the game. I learned that all the kittens in the cafe are for sale. If I had enough money and means to take care of cats, I would buy that pair of kittens in a heartbeat.

But now that I think of it, there is a strong notion of “adopt don’t shop” and I totally understand why that is. But animal rescue is a relatively new concept in my country. So although there have been some shelters here, it isn’t guaranteed if they take good care of their animals and socialize them well, as my experience with the last cat cafe has shown me. That could create problems for owners who aren’t experienced with cats like me. Meanwhile, the kittens in that cafe may have been bred and shipped there instead of being rescued, judging from the exotic breed, but they are guaranteed to be great for the owners as they have shown themselves to be well-socialized and taken care of.

So if I was to buy the kittens, would it be ethical? Or should I go to a shelter to get a cat instead?