A couple of weeks ago I dragged my best friend off to the Cat Cafe in Bedford to see what it was like and how accessible it is for the children I support.

I can’t lie; there were a LOT of rules and I mean a LOT. The rules were to ensure the animals were kept safe and everyone conducted themselves in line with the animal’s needs. However they were emailed to me, then re-emailed and then, once you arrive at your pre-arranged time, you are kept in the reception space (between two door ways which are both locked) and they are gone through again………. However once inside the cafe is amazingly clean. I can’t lie; I thought it was going to be a cat hair hell. But it was nothing of the sort. It was immaculate and lots of the cats were long-haired. With hindsight, I should have asked for top tips as I struggle with Saffy’s short hair in my little house ;-)

One of the (many) rules was that you can buy food from the cafe but it cannot be offered to the cats and if you move away form your table you need to use the food covers (which they provide). I decided to not eat and instead opted for my favourite; the cappucino. The chocolate dusting on the top was in paw print shapes. Well that was it for me; I loved it at the cat cafe. Ha ha ha. My friend ordered a tea and the little dish for the tea bag had a cat in it. It was adorable.

Cats have been proven to support people’s wellbeing and reduce the risk of stroke. This is why lots of older people’s homes and supported facilities have cats. With this in mind I wanted to explore what the cafe felt like for the children I support. The cats were very calming and some of the children there appeared to enjoy playing with the toys, which the cats enjoyed. There was a strange busy and calmness to the cafe. With this in mind, I’ve decided to take one of the children there in September. The child has profound and multiple learning/physical disabilities with a sensory impairment to see what she thinks of the cafe - so watch this space!