Find someone to feed the cats while you’re away, pack those Hello Kitty bags and let’s take one epic trip around the world for a feline fix.
Read also: The one-eyed surfing cat in Hawaii.
#1 Hello Kitty Park, Tokyo
What goes on: No one does cat fever quite like Japan, so let’s start at the wold-famous Sanrio Puroland. A huge parade is thrown everyday that attracts 1.5 million visitors each year. Hello Kitty’s friend, Cinnamoroll (dunno, never heard of this one either) guides visitors around the park. There are rides, a kind of dance performance at night, and Hello Kitty’s “home”.Extra: Tokyo has more than a hundred cat cafes. If you don’t mind a few cat hairs in your latte, get cosy with a couple of local kitties at places like Cateriam in Shimokitazawa and Curl Up Cafe in Haramachi.
#2 Cat Island, Near Honshu Island
What goes on: Don’t fly out of Japan just yet, you haven’t been to the human-outnumbered cat island of Tashirojima! Seriously, there are only about 86 humans and more than 100 cats. The original residents on the island raised silkworms, and brought in an army of cats to deal with the consequential mice problem. The cats then decided to stay for good, because that’s such a cat thing to do.#3 The Floating Cat Sanctuary, Amsterdam
What goes on: The sanctuary sits on the Herengracht canal and was made in 1966 by Henriette van Weelde, a fellowExtra: Visit the Kattenkabinet museum for all things cats; painting, artifacts, furniture and a gift shop. Weirdly though cats aren’t allowed inside, but they do have a few resident cats.
#4 Chora, Mykonos
What goes on: You should take a trip to Greece regardless — the beaches, clean white architecture, parties, and yes, cats! And so many of them! Chora is where the felines seem to flock to. They’ve really taken to the laidback island vibes; you’ll find them hanging about cafes and taking cat naps on comfy corners.
#5 Algonquin Hotel, New York
What goes on: Meet the swankiest New Yorker; Matilda the Algonquin cat. She’s the hotel’s proud mascot and you can even send her fan mail to [email protected]. There was a bit of trouble in 2011 when the Department of Health raised hygiene concerns (what is this, a cat cafe in Tokyo?) but Matilda is a cat and could care less — now she just wears a vibrating collar that keeps her away from the kitchen.