Cassidy Turini

What a gem! The mission is wonderful, the atmosphere is a mix of sunny cottage meets your crazy fun aunts house. It’s colorful, mismatched and the tea wall is such a great added touch. I’m a pretty big fan of kitties and coffee, and if you are…you will love this place. Also, staff…you ROCK! The one thing I will say, is the mocha latte was a little bitter…more of a dark chocolate taste. My boyfriend LOVED it, but I do like my mocha on the sweeter side. Wouldn’t stop me from coming back and trying something off of their extensive menu.

M Ortiz (Epicurean Explorer Rater)

I had an absolutely delightful time at this coffee and tea haven! The moment I stepped in, I was captivated by the unique decor that exudes charm and creativity. As a cat lover, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect place - the friendly feline-themed ambiance with adorable cat decorations and motifs made my heart melt 😺. Their selection of desserts, coffee, and tea was outstanding, offering something for everyone's taste buds. I indulged in a scrumptious dessert accompanied by a rich and flavorful coffee that satisfied my cravings perfectly. The tea options were equally enticing, and I can't wait to explore more on my next visit. The staff was exceptionally warm and welcoming, making me feel right at home. Their friendly nature added a special touch to the overall experience, and I left the place with a big smile on my face. I highly recommend this place to anyone in search of a relaxing and enjoyable coffee or tea outing. Whether you're a cat enthusiast or not, the lovely atmosphere, delectable treats, and attentive staff will surely leave you with a memorable and delightful time. I can't wait to return and soak in the cozy cat-loving vibes once again!" ☕😺🍰

Vinny

Staff is so easy to get along with. They love their jobs and it's easy to tell. The macaroons are the best I've ever had. And the coffee is amazing. The best part of course, visiting the kitties. Plenty of hiding, sleeping, resting places for them as well as many toys and obstacles for them to be enriched with. They're very happy as well as the customer. Space is relaxed, easy to just chill. LGBTQ+ friendly. Absolutely the best part of our trip to Ithaca.

Santos Shetty

This is a must visit place. Great vibes and ambiance. Variety of coffee and tea selections. If you are into Cats - spend time with for $ 5 for 30 mins. Make sure you reserve a time they get booked very fast. The cats are amazing even though I’m not into Cats ! Beautiful place in a nice corner.

+5

Ildi Noe

Love this coffee shop. It has a wonderful inclusive and wibe. Books on the shelves toys in the corner cats are waiting for some pets:). The crew is extremely good. Friendly ,patient and professional. The coffee is superb the best things of course the cute kitties.

+2

Jessica Roberts

The Alley Cat Cafe was definitely one of the biggest highlights during my time here in Ithaca. Such a fantastic spot with such a beautiful message and cause! To confirm with other reviews, it does cost $5 to have access for 30 minutes to the cat room, but in my opinion it's completely worth it, for the proceeds go toward the cats' medical expenses, food, and finding them forever homes! The food was fresh, tasty, and relatively well priced. I was so thrilled that there were vegan and vegetarian options. When I went I also got an iced chai latte as a beverage, I prefer my chai a bit spicer, but it was good nonetheless and I would buy it again. The staff members were all lovely to interact and chat with. I had such lovely experiences and conversations with everyone there. Additionally, I was very happy to find that this cafe was very environmentally conscious as well as extremely inclusice and queer positive! Overall I had a fantastic experience - this spot was right up my alley and I will definitely be stopping by again soon!

+2

Lift_Run_Eat_

It’s a cat place first, food place second and coffee place third. It’s a one-size fits all, themed cafe so I couldn’t expect too much from the coffee on offer. It was slightly better than I thought. I got a 7.4/10 cortado and although it was okay, there was no flavour or milkwork to be seen. Come for the cats and not the coffee.

Alisa Castillo

Too cute! I went to the Alley Cat Cafe and it’s been a really nice experience overall. Petting the cats and kittens are $5 for every 30 minutes and you get to choose whether you want high energy (kittens) or low energy (older cats) rooms. I haven’t ate a lot of the options in the Cafe but one that I definitely recommend is the Catprese (spelling may differ). The Cafe feels homey and can get busy at times. One thing I would look out for is the price and serving size of the different sandwiches. Overall a good place!

+1

Corinne Loveland

I am concerned for the cats here. I visited during a 30 minute time slot and the cats seemed completely overstimulated. Some clearly wanted to sleep but couldn’t because they were being handled constantly. I left after 20 minutes because I didn’t want to add to their stress. As I wad leaving, there was a long for the next time, immediately following my 30 minutes time. Don’t get me wrong. I think cat lounges are great, but this cafe seemed overbooked with too many people coming and going. I fully support animal rescue work and am deeply committed to such work in my community. But please consider having more down time for the cats and/or a place where they can move away from the humans if they need to.

Dani The Girl

This was my first time going to a cat cafe, so I suppose I had high expectations which may have affected my experience. Our visit was just okay. The food (Jaguar) and drinks (Cat Lady and Dirty Chai) weren't spectacular. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could in the optimism that this was an off day, but this is what I didn't like. First, there was clutter. There seemed to be piles of random stuff (not merchandise) here and there both in the restaurant area and in the seating areas. A mop and bucket should not be visible to customers unless actively being used... and it shouldn't ever be propped up near a food counter. The big, grungy sink/drain directly behind the counter should not be visible either. Guys, just put a tapestry, screen, poster, whatever. What I did like was the vibe. I liked the local artists on display. It was a chill place to come get some laptop work done, enjoy your coffee, or visit some cats!

+5

Genny nolasco

This was my first time visiting this cat café with my boyfriend. We came in from New York City and had high expectations based on the 4.5-star reviews and photos. Unfortunately, our experience on Saturday, September 13th, 2025, between 3:37–4:15 PM was very disappointing. After paying for drinks and the 30-minute fee to spend time with the cats, we immediately noticed that the cat room smelled bad, and the furniture and toys didn’t seem well-cleaned or maintained. What really concerned us, however, was the treatment of one of the kittens. While we were playing with one of the larger cats, a small black kitten tried to join in, but the larger cat hit the kitten, and we later realized that the black kitten was actually being bullied by multiple cats. At one point, another large cat snuck up behind the kitten and hit it, leaving the kitten visibly scared and shaken. A staff member with long black hair, wearing a gray sweater and leggings, briefly stepped in and told one of the cats to leave the kitten alone, but she didn’t remove the aggressor or ensure the black kitten was safe. Later, when we notified another staff member at the register (fair-skinned, red hair tied up, wearing a floral shirt and jeans), her response was very concerning. She said, “Oh yea, we know, we find it funny.” This made it clear that the staff has been aware of the bullying but chooses not to address it. In other cat cafés I’ve visited, the staff are quick to step in, separate cats if needed, and make sure all of them feel safe. Here, not all the cats had a safe space, and it seemed like some were neglected. Based on what we experienced, the staff came across as irresponsible, and the environment didn’t feel caring toward the cats’ well-being. This is the photo of the black kitten that was being bullied: