This Shanghai Cat Cafe Boasts a Network of Ladders and Hideouts

Cat Café in Shanghai is the Pawfect Hangout for Adventurous Felines

By Regina Sienra on January 2, 2023

This Cat Cafe in Shanghai Boasts a Stylish Arrangement of Wooden Ladders and Cute Hideouts

Photo: © Qingling Zheng, Shijie Zhang

Cats are elegant yet fun, poised yet daring. So, why not provide them with a playground that brings together these characteristics? Tristy of the CATS is a cat café located in Shanghai that reminds us that style and playfulness can beautifully coexist. The creators of this brilliant design are the studio Parallect Design, and it has transformed an oddly-structured and run-down building into a unique kitty wonderland.

From the entrance, one would have a hard time picturing the intricate network of ladders, hideouts, and pathways that makes this cat café marvelous for both felines and humans. By ingeniously connecting the building's second and third floors with holes on the floor and a series of diagonal structures, the cats can roam freely across every level. “The hole on the third floor [has] become the most favorite space for the cats,” writes Parallect Design. “Cats climbing the ladders [has] also become an interesting scene in the café.”

The mix of white walls and the European ashwood structures creates an airy and laid-back atmosphere, while the choice of wall decor hopes to inspire visitors to take some fun selfies. The house-shape motif is at the heart of the design, creating not only sweet little “homes” for the cats to rest and play but also making the whole concept stand out in a busy street with its creatively placed exterior windows.

While seeing cats prowling and jumping around the maze structures is exciting, the most fun is had on the top floor. There, the designers created unique structures that look like regular dining booths and tables—until one notices the holes in each backboard, which allows kitties to go from table to table, hide under a chair, or just walk above everyone. It's hard picturing a more interactive and quirky cat café than one like this, where every choice emulates a multi-dimensional portal that lets cats walk in and out of the most unexpected places.