It is not often that I break my mundane routine of home-cooked dinners and venture to a local café to try out the talk of the town. This time, however, I made an exception after the rumours of “the most unusual diner” reached my ear as the place in question was said to cater not only for us, human beings, but for…cats. So, not only being a true feline-lover, but also a most curious one I headed for that promise land of cats.
The new café turned out to be located in a spacious attic of an ancient mansion, which added up to its unconventional atmosphere. From afar the unmistakable sign in the shape of a cat caught my eye telling me I’d reached my destination. To my overwhelming relief, the place was devoid of any stinky smells, the aroma of freshly-baked bread filling the spacious room.
It was nothing out of ordinary: pleasantly round wooden tables surrounded by easy chairs, wide window-sills adorned with coloured vases, gilded-framed paintings on the walls. Nothing unusual, that is, apart from one tiny detail: cats in all breeds and sizes evidently ruled this place comfortably curling up in all conceivable places. I stifled a gasp of surprise and looked around. Just in front of me a majestically gorgeous cat was perching on the arm of the chair, sizing me up suspiciously. Quite timidly, I approached, took the place opposite him and studied the menu. Among the long list of options, I singled out cream cauliflower soup, home made chops with asparagus and a slice of a vanilla cake. It was also possible to order a chicken croquette for cats, the opportunity I willingly took.
In next to no time I was devouring the steaming, rich soup while the cat , full of self-importance, was lazily chewing the chicken, sitting by my side. Meanwhile, the waiter informed me that the cat’s name was Hope, that it was taken from the streets, thin as a rake, and after having all the necessary check-ups and injections made herself at home in the new place. The heart-wrenching story did not detract from my appetite, so I savoured the second dish and then fully appreciated the extremely tender taste of the creamy cake.
It was when the happy cat started to purr that I noticed how fully laid-back and content I felt. Indeed, the feast with the cat worked miracles on me, and leaving all the worries behind, I felt like quietly purring myself.
