From San Francisco to Tokyo to New York—and now to St. Louis! The cat cafe trend has finally descended upon us in the form of Maplewood, Mo.’s Mauhaus. Financed through Kickstarter and partnered with cat rescue shelter Tenth Life, Mauhaus offers a space where guests can sip their fancy coffee while enjoying the company of some furry friends.

Mauhaus’ entrance doesn’t lead directly into a room full of cats; instead, the front door opens to the coffee bar. There, you may check in with your reservation and order a beverage and a snack. The offerings included espresso drinks and cold coffee options, as well as noncaffeinated beverages like hot chocolate. The snacks included petite cupcakes and apple pie, among other desserts. There’s a giant glass window that walls off the second section of Mauhaus: the cat playroom. After signing a waiver, patrons can walk through two doors that connect the spaces.

Allison Hamburg | Student Life

Mauhaus, which opened Nov. 12, is open Thursday through Sunday for work and play.

Within the play area, there are three types of cats to interact with. The first set is the residents, made up of brother and sister duo Taylor and Lorelai. These two beauties, one gray and white and one calico, respectively, live at the cafe permanently. They seem to be the least active of the bunch. When you go, make sure to pet these two—they have the softest fur of any cats I’ve ever pet. Then, there are the adoptable cats. Most of the adoptable ones are tabbies, and the littlest and lightest one, Aubrey, was by far the most playful. The third category consists of the new cats, who are still living in cages to allow them to accustom to the busy cafe life.

The arrangement of the cafe seems designed to maximize the interaction between the cats and humans. Built in the center of the room is a large step-shelf system that allows cats to climb up into walkways that line the ceiling. Scattered around the room are various toys the cats can play with. There are short tables where people can place their coffee, and cushions for them to sit on. The cushions are partly for humans but also double as napping beds for the cats. The primary seating is a long bench around the room. Behind the bench are paths, cubbies and shelves for the cats to walk through and play on at the eye level of the cafegoers. When I was there, many cats opted to sit on the windowsill and watched passersby on the sidewalk—a classic move for any cat.

At first, it unsettled me how silent everyone was. From the carefully crafted coffee to the soft alternative music selection, I felt like I was living in a wannabe hipster’s dream. As time went on, the stark silence wasn’t so empty but rather comforting; everything seemed perfectly at rest. It was surprisingly easy to follow the de facto rule of no talking. Being surrounded by sleeping cats was shockingly therapeutic. Two assignments due tomorrow? Don’t worry about it. In Mauhaus, deadlines and responsibilities ceased to exist.

Allison Hamburg | Student Life

Rescue cats snuggle with customers and relax along the windowsill in Mauhaus’ play area.

Considering the popularity of this concept, I was surprised by how relatively inexpensive the experience was. To book an hour-long reservation, all you have to do is submit a $10-deposit, which will then be credited back to you in the form of food or drink. Beware: Make sure to get the most bang for your buck by actually purchasing 10 dollars’ worth of food or coffee, since the remainder does not carry over. Either way, you’re paying $10 dollars—might as well get the most out of it! If you choose not to make a reservation, walk-ins are permitted, but long waits are very possible.

I would highly recommend taking a trip here during stressful times, especially finals season. If you’re like me, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and sometimes taking a break from campus is necessary. An hour-long visit to Mauhaus is the perfect way to step out of reality without totally screwing up your schedule. And if that isn’t tempting enough, there’s coffee, which is always a reason to do anything in my book. So, practice some self-care and book a reservation—you’ve earned it.

Mauhaus is open on Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is located at 3101 Sutton Boulevard in Maplewood, Mo. Check out their website at www.mauhauscafe.com.