[강아지까페 vs 고양이까페] Pet cafes barking up the right tree

2009.4.24

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The warm spring sunshine beckons us to come out. Looking for something different to enjoy? If you are into dogs or cats, here are some cafes you may immediately fall in love with.

Dog cafe

Dozens of dogs run toward you, playfully wagging their tails at the sound of the door at Bau House, a dog cafe in Seogyo-dong, near Hongik University.

Inside, it is a cute little disaster. About 30 different breeds from a Chihuahua -about the size of your hand - to a Siberian Husky - almost as big as an adult human - run about in the cafe.

The table tops are captured by tiny beagles and schnauzers and stools tip over during friendly dog fights. Five to six sturdy male employees have to bang empty plastic bottles once in a while to maintain order.

While lost in this chaos, you will soon find yourself having fruit juice with a dashing Borzoi observing you on the other side of the table.

"Everyone is welcome at this dog cafe, with or without their own dogs," said Bau House president Huh Jun-hyuk while stroking the dogs crowding around him.

He explained that families, friends and couples visit the cafe looking for something new to enjoy.

First opened in 2000, the cafe became so popular that it moved to a bigger space in 2004. Still, there is a waiting list for late afternoons or weekends.

"Because every moment is unpredictable here, and because some of the visitors even come from very distant areas, they tend to stay for long once they come. Besides, who doesn't like dogs?" Huh said.

The couches are torn down, but nobody seems to care. With all eyes on the furry animals, customers move around freely from seat to seat. If you settle down in a sofa, a bunch of dogs will spring upon you, until one wins and snuggles on your lap.

At the sight of Huh or some regular customers, the pups are extra friendly. If you are new, try wearing an extraordinary outfit. The stranger you look, the more attention you get from the dogs, explains Huh.

"When foreigners come in or a man with a motorcycle helmet or a wig comes in, they go running at them like crazy," he said.

Another way to get their attention is to allure them with the dog gums or hand-made biscuits the cafe sells. The snacks are strictly low-calorie to prevent them from getting too fat.

If you can endure some major face-licking, the adorable dogs and the familial atmosphere will make you lose track of time. But remember, there are still some simple rules to follow.

"Please don't feed them food that people eat, and don't surprise them suddenly," Huh said.

Bau House is situated in Seogyo-dong, central Seoul. There is no admission fee, but the drinks are a bit more pricey than regular cafes. For more information, call (02) 334-5152 or visit bau.cyworld.com

Cat cafe

While Bau House is boisterous because the customers and dogs all mingle together, Gio Cat, a cat cafe in Bongcheon-dong, is a totally different world.

Quiet but cozy, it is just the place for cats and cat lovers. Russian Blue, Turkish Angora, Siamese, etc.; more than 30 different types of kitties are happily nestling on every warm corner.

No need to bang any plastic bottles or have sturdy men manage the cats. Just one manager doing his own work at the counter is enough, as the cats each enjoy their own little private lives.

"Cats love places that are dim and quiet. That's why I picked this area even though it is not a commercial center. Also, I wanted only the people who sincerely love cats to find this place," said Gio Cat president Yu Sang-wook.

Yu did not actually intend to make a cat cafe at first. As he was running a cat adoption business, he opened the cafe in 2003 hoping to give people a chance to experience cats before choosing them.

"Some of the people who say they want to adopt cats and even some cat owners don't know enough about cats. Some owners who do not realize that cat hair can arouse allergies abandon their cats after adoption.

I figured that if I provided a space like this, people could come and see for themselves what cats are like, and how much cat hair falls out. I hoped it would help decrease the number of abandoned cats," Yu said.

Before entering the cafe, visitors need to change into slippers, wash their hands and leave bags under the tables or at the counter.

Rules are written everywhere in bold letters: "Do not carry the cats," "Do not bother them with straws," "Never feed them."

"Cats hate it when they have to do something they don't want. So I'm pretty strict with the customers. If they can't follow the rules, they need to leave. To me, cats come first," Yu said.

As strict as it seems, real cat lovers love the way Yu runs the place. Most of the visitors are regular customers.

It was one of the visitors who first suggested opening a branch near Hongik University so that more people and cats could enjoy the cat paradise. Hongdae branch opened last summer, and is usually crowded with people that it would be safe to make reservations for weekends.

"Ninety-five percent of the customers are women," said Yu.

"Usually people who are very trendy or who live alone like cats because cats are quiet, smaller, potty trained and don't cause much trouble.

"If you have a dog, all your neighbors will know you have one because of their noisy bow wows, but how loud is a meow? I've been living with two cats in my apartment for years but none of my neighbors know," he added with a laugh.

Gio Cat's Seoul National University branch is located in Bongcheon-dong, southern Seoul and its Hongdae branch is located in Seogyo-dong, central Seoul. Admission ranges from 5,000 won to 8,000 won. For more information, call (080) 432-2525 or visit www.giocat.com

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)