Wuhan shop aims to dispel myths about animals seen as unlucky

Customers play with black cats at the Hey Cat Cafe in Wuhan, Hubei province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

There are two ways to forget about life's troubles: music and cats.

At the Hey Cat Cafe in Wuhan, Hubei province, you can have both. About 30 furry creatures, each wearing a red burp cloth with its name on it, welcome and "serve" the guests, or are served themselves with snacks and cuddles.

The "employees" are all stray black cats, most of whom were rescued by caring people after being abandoned by their owners. Having once struggled to survive in the crowded and chaotic city, the cats finally overcame their pain and seemingly regained their trust in humans. While curing themselves, the cats have also lifted the spirits of many local residents and other people from farther afield.

The cafe, or the "Black Cat Re-employment Service Center," as the manager calls it, is run by the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association. Opened in September 2021, it was one of the first nonprofit cat cafes in China. Manager Du Fan said all the profits are used to help homeless animals.

Black cats relax at the cafe. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The 41-year-old, who is also a director of the association, said he opened the black cat cafe to dispel the myth that such felines are "inauspicious" and "creepy", as depicted in some movies and TV dramas.

Over the past 17 years, a lot of people have come to Du to adopt cats, but many said they didn't want black cats. "Actually, in traditional Chinese culture, black cats can exorcise evil spirits and bring luck. They should be mascots," he said.

So are black cats as reserved and mysterious as folk tales suggest? Well, perhaps not.

Hearing two young women open the door, some six passionate "cafe workers" waited and greeted them. When the visitors sat down, one cat rubbed against the bottoms of one woman's pants, while another climbed onto her knee. Some of the cats simply fell asleep against the guests' legs.

Numerous notes have been left by visitors on the wall of the cafe. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Du said every visitor can vote for his or her favorite cat. The one with the most votes every month is awarded an extra can of food. Explaining their strong sense of service, Du said the cats were selected for their tame, outgoing temperaments, and they have been trained to adapt to a social environment with many other cats and strangers.

"Besides, they know most of the guests will bring food for them," he said.

On the walls, there are portraits of cats and a number of notes left by visitors. One read, "I hope every cat will be happy every day." Another said, "What would the world be without kitties?" Two others read, "The little cats saved a biped from an exhausting week," and "Learning about their stories, I think we should be positive about life."

A portrait of a cat drawn by a visitor to the cafe is posted on the wall. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The cats' average age is 2 to 3 years old. One, named "Teacher", only has three legs after being hit by a car. It survived after association workers sent it for surgery. "Grapefruit" had a serious eye infection, and when some residents found it, along with its mother and siblings, they called the association. The infection was so bad that a veterinarian had to remove one eyeball. "I hope the cafe can be a platform for people to learn about cats and promote the idea of animal protection," Du said. "Humans and animals should share this world equally. But for various reasons, many animals struggle to survive, so we need more channels to teach people how to coexist peacefully with animals."

The idea seems to be working. After the cafe went viral online, many people came to visit. Du recalled a young woman from the southwestern municipality of Chongqing who passed through Wuhan en route to her college in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

"She said she had read about the cafe online and wanted to see it, even though she was carrying a lot of luggage. It really touched me," he said.

He added that some guests who have developmental or social anxiety disorders learn to open their hearts as a result of spending time with the animals. "Cats possess certain qualities that humans don't have. Many people with psychological problems can find comfort in cats," he said.

Some cats in the cafe are available for adoption: the association checks details such as stable employment and work status, whether the family agrees or if anyone is allergic to cats. After a cat has been adopted, members of the association pay regular visits to the family to check its situation.

Zhou Zhi, 31, decided to adopt a black cat after several visits. He once rescued a cat from an overpass and sent it to the association.

"We raised a cat for three years, and my wife wants another black cat with a round face, so we came here to choose one," he said.

He said the new pet, a 5-month-old kitten, will be called Eggette, and "it's shy and loves to eat". "We don't think black cats are inauspicious. How could anybody be superstitious about this in 2023?" he said.

Established in 2006, the association now takes care of about 600 stray dogs and 40 cats. Du said the monthly cost is 100,000 yuan ($13,950), and the organization mainly relies on donations. The cafe also brings in funds. A ticket for a visit costs 25 yuan, and a cup of coffee is the same price. The snacks for cats are about 15 yuan. The cafe's success prompted Du to open a similar venue for ginger cats in June.

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn