More Than a Place to Drink Coffee
When Sandy Cagan opened Orlando Cat Cafe, she was not trying to build a large franchise company. She wanted to create something meaningful, cover the operating expenses and help homeless cats meet people who might adopt them.
The response was much greater than she expected.
Since opening in 2016, the cafe has attracted more than 230,000 visitors and helped place over 3,500 cats with new families. After nearly a decade of refining the business, Cagan decided it was time to make the idea available to other owners.
Orlando Cat Cafe started franchising in 2025. Its first franchise location is planned for El Paso, Texas, and the company is currently interested in expanding across the Southeast.
Sometimes the Cat Makes the Decision
People often arrive at the cafe already interested in a cat they saw online. They may have chosen it based on its colour, photograph or description. But once they enter the playroom, the meeting does not always happen as planned.
The chosen cat might keep its distance. Then another one—perhaps a shy cat that has spent days sleeping away from visitors—may suddenly walk over, settle into someone’s lap and begin kneading with its paws.
Those moments have become familiar to Cagan. They demonstrate why meeting animals in person is so important. A photograph may attract someone’s attention, but the real connection often comes from an unexpected interaction.
The cafe gives cats and people enough time to discover whether that connection exists.
What Visitors Experience
Orlando Cat Cafe is divided into a regular cafe and a separate room for the animals. Baristas prepare coffee and other refreshments, while guests who purchase playroom access can spend an hour with the adoptable cats.
Admission to the cat area costs $12. Walk-ins are possible, although customers are encouraged to reserve during popular times.
There are normally 20 to 30 cats living at the location. They stay there until they are adopted, which allows them to become comfortable and show more of their personalities than they might during a short adoption event.
The cafe side and animal side use different air-conditioning filters. The separation helps protect food-service sanitation and reduces the movement of allergens. Someone who is sensitive to cats may still be able to have a drink in the main cafe without visiting the playroom.
The adoption program is operated with a shelter partner, and the full adoption fee goes to the shelter.
A Milestone Birthday Inspired the Business
The idea started after Cagan heard about a cat cafe in New York in 2014. She was preparing to turn 50 and wanted to begin a charitable side project.
A cat cafe made sense. Cagan had spent her career in property management, so she understood buildings, tenants and operational problems. She was also a lifelong cat lover who wanted to do something practical for animals.
In 2016, she opened Florida’s first cat cafe near Orlando’s tourism district, about 15 minutes from Walt Disney World.
Her expectations were realistic. If the business could pay its bills and create more adoptions, she would consider it successful. Instead, it quickly developed a following among both local residents and tourists.
The cafe has continued to grow in customers, revenue and adoptions during its operating years, excluding the unusual conditions experienced in 2020.
Not Every Visitor Is Looking to Adopt
Adoptions are the heart of Orlando Cat Cafe, but they are not the only reason people visit.
Some guests are vacationers searching for something different to do in Orlando. Others live nearby and return because they enjoy the coffee and the chance to relax with the cats. Then there are visitors who are actively searching for a new pet.
This balance is important to the model. The cafe does not depend solely on people who are ready to adopt immediately. A casual visitor can still support the business, spend time with the animals and tell others about the experience.
Events also help introduce the cafe to new audiences. Past programming has included yoga sessions, wine-glass painting and high tea with cats. These activities keep the experience fresh and provide additional opportunities for the animals to meet potential adopters.
Taking an Independent Idea Into New Markets
Cat cafes are no longer an unfamiliar concept, but most continue to operate as independent businesses.
The first recognized cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998. The idea became especially popular in several Asian countries before spreading to Europe and North America. Today, many American cities have at least one location where people can enjoy refreshments and meet cats.
What remains unusual is franchising.
Most operators open one cafe, or occasionally a small local group, without building a larger franchise system. Orlando Cat Cafe is entering relatively new territory by developing a repeatable model that can be used by owners in different cities.
The company’s experience provides an important advantage. Cagan has already dealt with the challenges of balancing customer service, coffee operations, shelter requirements and animal care. Those lessons can now be incorporated into franchise training and support.
Franchisees Must Care for Two Sides of the Business
An Orlando Cat Cafe owner is not simply running a coffee shop with cats in the corner. The cafe and animal area have separate responsibilities, staffing needs and operating standards.
Cagan recommends hiring eight part-time employees, with four assigned to each side. Cafe employees manage orders and hospitality, while the animal-area team supervises visits, maintains cleanliness and helps create a safe environment.
Franchisees also need dependable suppliers and strong property-maintenance support. However, no relationship is more important than the partnership with a local shelter.
The franchisor intends to identify qualified shelters in each market and help establish the working arrangement. The shelter must be able to provide appropriate cats and support a responsible adoption process.
Animal Welfare Comes Before Convenience
Working with live animals changes how an operator responds to everyday problems.
In a standard cafe, certain repairs might be scheduled for the following morning. At a cat cafe, an issue involving temperature, ventilation or safety may require an immediate response.
An air-conditioning breakdown during hot weather is a clear example. The operator cannot allow the cats to remain in an unsafe environment while waiting for a more convenient repair time.
This level of responsibility means the franchise is best suited to owners who understand that animal welfare is part of daily operations, not simply a marketing feature.
Growing With a Clear Purpose
Orlando Cat Cafe has created a welcoming experience that supports both business and community goals. Customers receive coffee, entertainment and companionship, while shelter cats receive greater exposure in a comfortable environment.
The upcoming El Paso opening will be an important step in proving that the concept can work outside its original Florida market.
For Cagan, however, franchise growth is not only about adding units. Each new location can provide another group of cats with the chance to meet the people who will take them home.
Learn more about Orlando Cat Café franchise opportunities.
