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Witness History: The first cat cafe

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The first cat cafe

29/09/2023 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The first cat cafe

In 1998, the world’s first cat cafe opened in Taiwan

Cat cafes are now a worldwide concept. The very first one opened in 1998 in Taiwan. It started with just five street cats.

The world's first cat cafe opened in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1998. 

It started with just five street cats.

For the first few months they hardly had any visitors. Then a film crew made a TV programme about the cafe, and it eventually became a global tourist destination.  

Cat cafes have become a worldwide phenomenon.

Tracy Chang, founder and owner, tells her story to Gill Kearsley.

(Photo: Inside the first cat cafe. Credit: Tracy Chang)

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