Cat cafe gains popularity in Beijing

顧客與貓咪互動（6月10日攝）。[新華社記者蘭紅光攝]
Customers interact with cats at Gudaomaone cat cafe in Xiaojuer Hutong of the Nanluoguxiang neighborhood in Beijing, capital of China, June 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

近年來，貓咖在國內(nèi)各大城市興起，吸引了不少愛貓人光顧。網(wǎng)名“于小貓”的女士就在北京南鑼鼓巷小菊兒胡同開了這樣一家貓咖“鼓搗貓呢”。進店后，顧客可以喝咖啡、用甜點，最重要的是能和貓咪玩耍，度過一段悠閑時光。

In recent years, cat cafes have experienced a surge in popularity across major Chinese cities, attracting a growing number of cat lovers. One of these establishments, Gudaomaone (Frolics with Cats), is owned and operated by a woman nicknamed Yu Xiaomao (Kitten Yu) in Xiaojuer Hutong of Beijing's Nanluoguxiang neighborhood. Visitors to this cafe can indulge in coffee, sugary snacks, and, most importantly, the delightful and furry company of cats.

店內(nèi)有37只相貌不同、性格各異的貓咪，還養(yǎng)了幾只狗和兔子，其中唯一戴著項圈的美短虎斑貓名叫“招財”，是一只有故事的貓。2017年，“招財”在店外被陌生人抱走，幾經(jīng)周折找回后，店主“于小貓”給它戴上了寫有聯(lián)系方式的項圈?！罢胸敗笔й櫟哪嵌螘r間，她試過用各種方法尋找，報警、查監(jiān)控、張貼尋貓啟事、網(wǎng)上發(fā)帖……當時“鼓搗貓呢”還是個初創(chuàng)不久的小店，光顧的人并不多。出乎意料的是，尋貓事件反而提高了店鋪的知名度，也算是因禍得福。

Within the cafe's walls live 37 cats, each with their unique appearance and personality. Among them, Zhaocai (Fortune), a short-haired American tabby, stands out as the only one wearing a collar because of an early accident. In 2017, Zhaocai was taken away by a stranger outside the cafe, prompting Yu Xiaomao to exhaust all available resources, both online and offline, to ensure the cat's safe return. This incident occurred during the early stages of Gudaomaone when the cafe had few customers. Surprisingly, the cat's retrieval event significantly boosted the cafe's popularity.

“于小貓”最初創(chuàng)業(yè)開的是美甲店，喜歡小動物的她在店里養(yǎng)了幾只貓咪，結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)專門來看貓咪的客人眾多，于是改行開貓咖，把興趣變成了事業(yè)。

Initially, Yu Xiaomao embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with a nail salon where she kept a few cats to entertain herself. However, she soon discovered that many customers frequented her salon specifically to interact with these adorable feline companions. This realization prompted her to turn her hobby into a full-fledged career by opening a cat cafe.

把貓咪當作家人和朋友的她，打算繼續(xù)經(jīng)營好這家貓咖，滿足愛貓人，特別是都市年輕人的需求，同時讓這些小動物有個好的歸宿。

With a steadfast commitment to providing a nurturing home for her feline "family members," Yu Xiaomao plans to continue running the cafe and catering to the needs of fellow cat enthusiasts like herself.