Pet Friendly Cafe – Porta Singapore

Located at Park Hotel Clarke Quay, it comes as a surprise to me that Porta is a pet friendly cafe. For those who are wondering, pet friendly meaning your dogs and not your spider, fish, or dragon. They are not exactly allowed in the main indoor area, however you are welcome to bring your furkids and enjoy the modern European dishes at the al fresco area. 

Amongst the food I tried that day, my favourite has to be the prawn & chorizo pasta as well as the tiramisu. I was so full but hey, there's always space for dessert. 

I always have this very bad image of pet friendly places to be honest. It gives me the feeling that since their selling point is pet friendliness, sucker pet owners like us will visit even if the food is bad. That's not the case for Porta. It's actually a very good place to have a nice brunch in a quiet neighbourhood on a weekend morning with your friends and furkids. I mean I would love for this to happen even on a weekday morning but the bills ain't going to pay themselves. HAHA. 

More Details:

PORTA 1 UNITY STREET [S] 237983 PARK HOTEL CLARKE QUAY

OPEN DAILY 11.30AM —TO— 10.30PM

CONTACT – [+65]6593 8855 and HELLO@PORTA.COM.SG

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Cat Cafe - The Company of Cats

*Updated: Discount Code at End of Post - 29th May 2014

The company of cats

If you read my previous blog post about cat cafes and the idea of making money using cats you know that I am not the biggest fan of such business for various reasons and mainly welfare of the cats. #CrazyCatMan

Oh no, she knowns I'm plotting something.

Despite not being the biggest fan, I was convinced to visit the company of cats to take a look. I've heard good things about them, for example their cats are all adopted and not purchased. I have my reservation about such things but being a cat lover, I can't say no to an invite to visit 11 cute cats!

Because Ginger Cats are the best.

I really like the layout of the place. It felt very much like a home, your friend's place instead of a cafe.

Besides the cosy layout, the good people at The Company of Cats did something that I was very impressed as a cat owner but at the same time find them rather silly from a business man point of them. They took 2 levels of the building, used 1 as cafe and the other level as cat resting area. Yes, instead of making more sittings that allows them to earn more money, they kept a level empty and out of bound to human and allows cat to go hide when they have gotten too much human interaction.

The door to Narnia.

Besides this, of course they have their standard procedure to guest who are unfamiliar with the kitties as well.

Their food ain't too bad too! Their Mash Potato and their Bak Kwah Toast! YUM!!! And their food are all served in nice containers etc because of NEA rules.

I did talk to the owners and I can tell that they are really cat lovers and care about the welfare of the cats but I still stand firm on my ground on the fact that cat cafe might not be the best business in long run because of leasing issues, in a scenario if business ain't doing well, etc etc.

I really love Lulu but too bad my photo got out of focus. meh. 

Funny story. I actually ask the bosses if they jump onto the bandwagon of cat cafes because they are not the 1st to open in Singapore but according to them they were already in talks with NEA and they were already planning and in fact when the 1st one opened they were already in the mid of their plans.

Handsome Elliot is Handsome.

I can only imagine how painful it is to set up one of these cafes. Do you rent the place 1st? or do you adopt the cat 1st? If you adopt the cats 1st, it simply means that you have to house them somewhere else and re-home them to the cafe when it is ready and if you are doing other wise, that simply means you are losing a lot of money and opportunity cost with a ready cafe and no income. Business nightmare.

One of the 1st resident - Mags

Considering the risk, the cost, the trouble and etc I must say that this is really not a business that is the most lucrative so i guess there must be an amount of passion involved in order to run such a business. meow.

Anyway, useful information at the end of post. More cat pictures for now.

The place is very peaceful and therapeutic actually. Even I wanted to sleep.

TL;DR Version

What: The Company of Cats
Where: 6B Mosque Street Singapore 059486  
Conclusion: This place is very chill. I might just return to look for the cats.
Follow: @TheCompanyOfCats  on Instagram
Tel:  +65 6220 3835  
Email: hello@thecompanyofcats.sg
Damage: 

Discount Code! 

TGIF! Don't be a grump cat! I have good news for ya! From now till July 31,2015, Visit @thecompanyofcats and tell the staff that "Smith is Awesome" and get 10% off your bill (min spend $25). I never bluff you! 

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The Cat Cafe at Bugis

It was the wife's birthday and I decided that I should bring her to some where she might enjoy herself - the cat cafe.

Getting a kiss from her favourite cat which happens to be ginger again.

As a cat lover and an owner of 2 adopted cats, I can't say I agree to this business model to begin with. My very initial question will still be "what happen to all these cats when your business is going to wind up?" Each cat's avg life span is slightly above 10yrs +- but each cafe's life span should very much be around 2-3 years when the lease is over.

I sleep.

That aside, I am also pretty concern about the welfare of the cats. So I am sure they have a list of do and dos at each of these cafes. No manhandling blah blah blah but is it good enough?

I can't say for ALL (can you believe it? On a small island and we are having 5 cat cafes) the cat cafes but I really didn't like the one I visited at Bugis.

Fine, the cats are cute, the environment is chillax enough for me to stay there, it is clean and the staff are kinda nice but I can't say the same for the cafe-goers. I don't mean all and I really don't blame them. You pay a good $15 to enter the cafe for a drink and you kinda want to make sure you "get the value" back. You follow the cat to take pictures and you give them a few gentle strokes.

I am not too sure how many pax can they sit but I will give an estimation of approx between 20 - 30ish and the place seems always packed. At least from what I saw since 3pm - 6pm on a Saturday. The poor cats need a chill and slow environment but these people makes the cat so panicky I felt. The cats were walking around non-stop looking for a quiet place which seems hard to find. Yes, they had created some high ground but I don't think it's enough.

I think cafe-goers need to be educated that you wait for the cats to come to you and not go to the cats. You need to treat the cafe like a normal cafe that has cats instead of a cafe that you are going because you want to play with the cats. To make things worst there will always be some people who wants to touch the cats but are kinda scare themselves. I can't even watch.

Of course some can argue that these cats are better in the cafe than to be running around as strays with no good food and shelter but if you ask me, there are times I rather die an honourable death than to live a life in fear.

Anyway enough of ranting and I really do hope that such businesses really can prove me wrong and they are actually doing more good than bad to the pets. I also hope that cafe-goers can be more informed and not terrify the poor kittens. In case you do not like my post, below are more pictures for you. Go Meow yourself out.

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