Rescue

cat cafés that are well run (and aim to re-home cats) are important for getting cats used to people, and helping would-be pet owners meet and socialise with an animal before making a decision. yes, not all cat cafés run like this and concerns around exploitation and animal welfare are very important. however other cat cafés put the animals first and have strict policies to ensure their welfare; they should not be unfairly maligned and the RSPCA should educate people on the characteristics of a good vs bad cat café so they can be responsible customers.

As a former humane officer, I think rescues should have every advantage. There is obviously a difference in these establishments. I live in the US, and one may think my opinion in British affairs doesn't count, but I do have perspective. Unfortunately, where I live, very little consideration is given to felines, and they are just dumped on the street to fend for themselves. Doing something is better than doing nothing, and restrictions on well-meaning and humanely run establishments is overreach. I understand the concern of stress on cats who are not sociable and then thrown together, but for youngsters and kittens, it could be ideal. Clients wouldn't want to sit among fighting cats, so I'm sure vetting cats would be priority for this reason, if no other. The whole premise is to relax with cats and enjoy a cuppa.