For Animal Lovers! Osaka's Vegan Rescue Cat Cafe, Neu

CAT&VEGAN neu: A Cat Cafe with a Conscience

Cat cafes are a popular destinatinion for many in Japan––for animal and cat lovers, these cafes are a place to relax and play with adorable felines for an hour or two. One of the best places to do this is in Osaka at CAT&VEGAN neu, an ethical cat cafe with a mission to help cats in Japan find safe homes.

Visitors here can see, pet, and feed rescue cats, and also enjoy a vegan meal or dessert and drinks. Continue reading to learn more about the adorable felines here and the helpful contributions this cafe makes towards animal welfare.

Getting to Cafe Neu

Cafe Neu is easily accessible using the Osaka Metro. For those coming from Namba, get off at Matsuya Station on the Nagahori-tsurumi Line (exit 5, around a 5-minute walk from the station). The cafe is also around an 8-minute walk from Tanimachi Rokuchome Station on the Tanimachi Line (exit 3 or 4).

However, as the cafe is located on a back street, it may be difficult to find for the first time. Be sure to look for this alley and go through the covered walkway.

Continue down the path a few more steps and you will see plants on the wall, marking the cafe entrance.

Play with the Cutest Rescue Cats in Osaka

The first floor is the cat room where visitors can meet, pet, and play with several cats rescued from different areas of Osaka. Some have come from shelters, and some were strays.

Cat and pet abandonment and subsequent euthanization at animal shelters remain a major problem in Japan. The cafe owner started Neu to help shelter and abandoned cats find suitable owners, so many of the cats here are up for adoption to loving, responsible homes.

For those living in Japan or the Osaka area with a pet-friendly home and lifestyle, please refer to the official website for more details (written in Japanese) about the requirements needed to adopt these sweet felines.

The cat room. A board in the back displays the names and sexes of the cats, and when they came to the cafe.
Be gentle when making contact at first and petting them. Some cats have a clipped ear. In Japan, this usually indicates a stray cat who has been spayed or neutered, essential for helping stop overbreeding and overpopulation. Cats at Neu were originally strays or abandoned by owners who couldn't take care of them.

These fuzzy felines all have distinct personalities, from very friendly, loud purrers to those who are more reserved. All of them are simply adorable and will melt your heart with their every move. Feel free to take a toy to use with the cats. Many will be eager to oblige.

Others may be taking a catnap. You can also take pictures at the cafe, but do not use flash.

For 100 yen, you can feed the cats, too. They will quickly come to you the instant they see you holding the treats, and reward you with purrs and love after they get their share. The experience is very fun and the cats enjoying the food is very endearing.

Rules for Cat Cafe Fun

Bitter, a friendly calico cat who likes sitting on people's laps.
Playing with the cats costs 1,500 yen per hour, and 300 yen for every 15 minute-interval thereafter. The cats here are very well-cared for, and there are a few rules and things to know when visiting to keep you and the cats safe and happy.

1. 1. Wear socks or tights when visiting. If possible, wear long pants or a long skirt. The cats may jump or climb on you, and their claws may hurt.
2. 2. Take off your shoes and wash your hands before entering the cafe.
3. 3. Do not bring in outside food or drinks into the cafe
4. 4. Wash your hands thoroughly to avoid spreading bacteria to the cats.
5. 5. Do not use flash photography when taking pictures.
6. 6. Keep your voice low and don't run around.

Also, those who have visited other cat cafes or pet stray cats earlier on the same day are not allowed inside. This is a precaution against spreading bacteria and potential diseases to the cats here.

Relax with Homemade Vegan Meals

In the upstairs dining room with a few tables where one can enjoy plant-based food, dessert, and drinks. The menu is downstairs, written in English. The dining room is warm and inviting with greenery and big windows bringing in sunlight. In the corner, there is a large chalkboard you can write on. Please note that no cats are allowed in this area.

Pictured above is the fried soy meat in sweet and sour sauce (1,200 yen with tax). It comes with vegetable dishes on the side, salad, a soup, and pickles. The rice contains different grains, topped with sesame seeds. Full of different textures and tastes, it is a delicious, satisfying dish.

Perhaps the only cat cafe in Japan with a vegan-friendly menu, Neu is a great choice for anyone looking for a healthy and flavorful option while having a feline-filled afternoon of fun. Those who order a meal from the cafe and use the cat room receive a 500 yen discount.

There are also desserts, like zenzai (red bean soup), as well as coffee and tea, for those just wanting a light snack.

Play with Cats and Have a Meal For A Good Cause

Cafe Neu in Osaka is a great place to get your fill of cats while making a positive societal impact. Enjoy a delicious, homemade vegan meal and stay to spend time with the adorable, incredibly endearing felines.

Protective cat cafe neu. (Neu) CAT & VEGAN neu.

6-17-5 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0012