Seattle's Child

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catvideofest and cat cafes

A purrrfect weekend for cat-loving kids

Pair CatVideoFest at SIFF Aug. 4-6 with a trip to a cat cafe

Have a cat lover or two in your clan? Make this weekend all about cats. The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and a few local cafes will help!

SIFF will be screening the uber family-friendly CatVideoFest 2023 this weekend, August 4-6.Ā 

CatVideoFest and cat cafesWhat is it?

CatVideoFest is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. Each year the project editors spend countless hours reviewing and choosing footage of cats engaging in, well, catness ā€” playing, eating, standing their ground, and engaging in silly and sometimes poignant ways. The 70-minute video shows in more than 200 U.S. and Canadian theaters and more than 100 theaters in Europe to raise money for local shelters and awareness about animal adoption and fostering.

SIFF-PAWS partnership

Theaters screening CatVideoFest partners with cat-focused charities to ensure that proceeds from each screening help local animals. SIFF is partnering with the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) this year. Since 1967, PAWS has helped place 130,000 cats and dogs and cared for over 140,000 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals.

Screenings and prices

Tickets to CatVideoFest at SIFF are $15 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. The shows are screening this weekend at SIFF Cinema Uptown:

  • August 4 at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • August 5 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
  • August 6 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Sip in more cat love ā€“ hit a cat cafe after the show

There is more than one way to see and support cats in Seattle. Consider heading to a cat cafe after the show (but make a reservation at your chosen cafe a few days ahead).Ā 

Yes, cats. In cafes. Since the first cat cafe opened in Taiwan in the late 1990s, feline-focused eateries/adoption cafes have popped up around the globe, including in Puget Sound. For families not interested in bringing a pet home, they offer all the psychological benefits of animal contact without any fuss. And for those interested in giving an animal a forever home, cat cafes are a great way to meet and hang out with potential pets.Ā 

A friendly resident of Neko Cat Cafe.

Three cafes to pounce on

There are several cafes in Puget Sound, but Neko: A Cat Cafe goes the extra mile on the cafe side. Make an appointment online, then settle your kids in with hot chocolate, Japanese strawberry milk, or strawberry lemonade. Beer, wine, sake, and other libations are available for adults. Neko is located at 519 E Pine Street in Seattle and is open 10 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The cafe has a second location in Bellingham. Reservations required: nekocatcafe.com/reservations

But Neko is not the only cat in town. Here are a few other great options for a sip, a pet, and a purr.ā€

Seattle Metropolitan is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. with the last cat visit at 5 p.m.; Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. with the last cat visit at 4 p.m.; and Friday through Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. with the last cat visit at 8 p.m. Itā€™s located at 1225 N 45th St. in Seattle.

The Whole Cat and Kaboodle is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for cat visits. Itā€™s located in Redmond at 8103 161st Ave NE.

More at Seattleā€™s Child:

5 Family-friendly Sunflower Festivals around Seattle

Free Playā€™ days at Seattle PlayGarden

About the Author

Cheryl Murfin

Cheryl Murfin is managing editor at Seattle's Child. She is also a certified doula, lactation educator for NestingInstinctsSeattle.com and a certified AWA writing workshop facilitator at Compasswriters.com.