Even in the midst of a war, a Ukrainian Cat Café has remained open to look after its 20 feline residents and to provide a safe haven for visitors.
Cat Café in Lviv, located about 350 miles West of Kyiv, first opened its doors in 2015 to become a favorite, go-to place for customers to dine in or takeaway.
What’s more, visitors are welcomed by the twenty cats that reside there, as they enjoy tasty treats that range from pizza and pancakes to coffee and beer. And who could resist the company of adorable kitties?
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“Our cats have been living in [the] cat café since the age of 4 months,” shares Serhii Oliinyk, owner of Cat Café Lviv. “They are like family.”
There are twenty different breeds of cats living in Cat Café, and when they are not entertaining visitors, they are playing on indoor trees and scratching posts.
Despite Ukrainians fleeing the country, Cat Café has remained opened from 9am to 9pm, serving many customers. They are encouraged to stroke and play with their feline pals as they dine, providing much comfort for cats and customers alike.
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Oliinyk vows that he will never leave his precious cats to flee his home in Lviv or Ukraine. Nor will he allow animal rescue organisations to rescue him and his cat family.
“We will not leave our cats,” he added, “Now almost no one works in the city but there are people who have been forced to leave their homes elsewhere in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion who have come here.
We want them to be able to eat and drink and relax after a hard trip. We don’t want to leave. We want to stay.”
Following this act of kindness, he is also giving 20% of each bill to the Ukraine army as well as receiving donations for the army.
