Shakespaw Cat Café – The Purrfect Cat Cafe in Stratford-Upon-Avon

When people think of Stratford-Upon-Avon, they nearly always associate it with Shakespeare, the most famous and influential British writer of all time.

Shakespeare was born in the heart of Stratford-Upon-Avon, and it was here that he lived, married, penned his greatest masterpieces, and died.

While Shakespeare’s legacy is, of course, a very worthwhile reason to visit this charming town (I covered a lot of Shakespeare attractions in my guide to visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon ), it’s not the only reason to visit.

You see, Stratford-Upon-Avon is also home to one of the best cat cafes in the UK, and I immediately knew that I had to pay it a visit.

In this blog post, I’ll give you my full review of Shakespaw Cat Café in Stratford-Upon-Avon, including the house rules, how to book a visit, and what to expect when you visit.

Are you ready?

Then let’s get into it.

Shakespaw Cat Café – The Purrfect Cat Cafe in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Shakespaw Cat Café at a Glance

Shakespaw Cat Café is the only cat café in Stratford-Upon-Avon and is actually the first cat café in the Midlands!

Located in right in the centre of town, Shakespaw is home to plenty of friendly felines, as well as a simple yet tasty food and drink menu (which I’ll discuss in more detail later).

The interior of Shakespaw Cat Café is like a vintage tearoom.

Think old-fashioned wooden chairs, flower garlands, mismatched teacups, and plastic floral tablecloths that give it a decidedly kitsch charm.

The Cats

Shakespaw Cat Café is home to 3 permanent residents, as well as a revolving cast of foster cats who are waiting for their forever homes.

The permanent residents are all Persian cats whose owners couldn’t take care of them anymore. Their names are Bottom, Hamlet, and Horatio (are you sensing a theme here?), and they love being fussed over.

The other cats are all temporary residents, being fostered by Shakespaw Cat Café while they learn to socialise with people and other cats until they get adopted.

Shakespaw Cat Café works closely with Peppers Pet Rescue, a small, family-run rescue charity that has been taking in small animals since 2018.

If you are interested in adopting any of the cats at Shakespaw Cat Café, just speak to a member of staff!

Shakespaw Cat Café Menu

The Shakespaw Cat Café menu is simple but good, and includes sandwiches, homemade cakes, afternoon tea, and cream tea.

Light bites include ‘Kitty Crumpets’ (yes, they’re really cat-shaped) with various toppings, as well as cold sandwiches and mac and cheese.

To drink, you can choose from a wide range of coffees and herbal teas, or go all-out and get a hot chocolate with pumpkin and maple syrup, or rose petals and crushed pistachios.

There’s also a small selection of alcohol available if you want to enjoy a cheeky tipple during your visit.

When we visited, I kept it simple and ordered a cattachino, while Ethan went for the Cream Tea (a scone with strawberry jam, clotted cream, and tea or coffee).

After stealing a bite of his scone, I can confirm that it was delicious!

Is Shakespaw Cat Café vegan-friendly?

Although the Shakespaw Cat Café menu is small, vegans are well looked after.

You can choose from Kitty Crumpets topped with garlicky vegan cheese or vegan cheese and Marmite, or a vegan cheese and chutney sandwich. The sandwiches are also available on gluten-free bread.

Vegan and gluten-free cakes are also available.

House Rules

As with any reputable and ethical cat café, there are several strict house rules that all visitors must follow.

These are:

• No babies or children under the age of 10
• No large groups (maximum of 6 people per group)
• No picking up, holding, or surrounding the cats
• Do not feed the cats
• No dogs allowed (duh!)

Booking a Visit

If you want to visit Shakespaw Cat Café, it is essential to book a visit beforehand.

You can only do so via this page on their website.

It costs £7.50 per person for an 80 minute visit.

More Important Information

• You can find Shakespaw Cat Café at 6 Union Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV37 6QT
• You can email them at rio (at) shakespawcatcafe (dot) com
• Shakespaw Cat Café is open Wednesday to Monday from 10:30 – 6 pm. It is closed on Tuesdays.
• Accessibility – there is no electric wheelchair access to the café due to a large step at the door. The toilet is located downstairs (no lift).

Shakespaw Cat Café | Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a cat café in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespaw is the place for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and even though I didn’t get as much interaction with the kitties as I would have liked (most of them were sleeping when I visited), that’s just life!

I thought the £7.50 admission fee was more than reasonable (cats aren’t cheap to look after!), especially compared to other cat cafes in the UK.

I also liked the menu, and would love to return to try one of their afternoon teas or Kitty Crumpets. I found the prices to be very reasonable.

I also loved that the cats are clearly well-cared for, and there are lots of places where the cats can hide or enjoy some alone time if they want to.

That’s all I’ve got for today, but you may also enjoy my guide to spending a weekend in Stratford-Upon-Avon, or my review of The Arden Hotel in Stratford.

Until next time!

XOXO

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