Poland’s Cat Museum is ideal for cat lovers, showcasing our fascination with cats. It now joins the ever-growing number of cat tourism and events around the world.
The Cat Museum, located in Krakow, Poland, is different from many museums for cat lovers as it is not about cat history or ownership. Rather it is a complete gallery of cat gifts, given to the cat-loving Ukrainian couple, Nataliya Koshivaya and husband Yuri Snevshikov, over the past 15 years.
With so many cat-themed items, they decided to open the museum in June 2019.
Poland’s Cat Museum opened in 2019
Poland’s Cat Museum is ideal for cat lovers. Why? Because it is full of an ever-growing collection of about 1,000 kitty knick-knacks, ranging from soap dispensers to sponge rests, teapots, and decorative items including snow globes, paintings, pillows, and figurines from around the world. All of this is packed into a relatively small area, only 161 square feet (15 square meters).
This makes it an ideal tourist attraction for cat lovers to get a bit dose of cat while vacationing in Poland, joining an ever-growing list of must-see places for all cat people to go to see.
While there’s no room full of cats to play with or adopt – that may change in the future – visitors can get their dose of cat through the resident gray cat named Geisha, who has been described by Koshivaya as the real museum owner.
At Paws, we were intrigued by the possibility of finding a host of cat places to see around the world. We are writing a whole section on cat tourism, and you may want to check out some of our posts about cat tourism and events.
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Poland’s Cat Museum is a must-see for cat lovers
In addition to the teapots, pepper shakers, soap dispensers, snow globes, paperweights or saucers for decorative use only, there’s a host of other cat-like items including cheerful blue cats painted by Belarussian artist Rina Zeniuk, cat-embossed cushions, bags, pictures, and more.
We don’t always think of Poland as being a cat-centric place for tourism, but that’s not true. A host of cat cafés can be found throughout the country. The Cat Museum may be one of these tourist attractions for cat lovers at some point. They already have plans to add another room, perhaps one full of live cats.
Poland’s Cat Museum, an ideal place for cat lovers to visit
Poland, not unlike most other countries, is home to countless cat lovers. In 2017, Poles were surveyed about their furry feline friends. It turns out that every second citizen of the country has one or more animals at home.
Koshivaya’s cat collection started some 15 years ago when living in the Ukraine after a friend gave her a tiny cat figurine. It looks like a tabby cat playfully holding up its paw next to a basket of yarn. Inscribed on the base is ‘nur für dich,’ which means “just for you” in German.
When political conflicts began to break out in Donetsk, Koshivaya and Snevshikov decided to flee Ukraine. They packed each of their many cat-themed possessions along for the ride. The journey was harrowing for all involved. To cross customs, the couple had to unpack each item individually. And reportedly at least 15 of the most delicate figures broke. The ones that survived are now part of the museum.
The museum currently has a 4.5-star rating on Trip Advisor and is becoming one of the “must-see” places to visit while in Krakow, currently ranking 65th out of 295 Kraków’s tourist attractions. For more information about the Cat Museum in Krakow, visit the museum’s official Facebook page.
Top 10 Cat Loving Countries
While we don’t find Poland on the list of the top 10 countries with the largest pet cat populations, we do find the Ukraine and Germany. Here’s the list:
- United States – 76,430,000
- China – 53,100,000
- Russia – 12,700,000
- Brazil – 12,466,000
- France – 9,600,000
- Italy – 9,400,000
- United Kingdom – 7,700,000
- Ukraine – 7,350,000.
- Japan – 7,300,000
- Germany – 7,700,000
Cat Cafes are must-see places to visit
If you happen to be visiting the Cat Museum in Poland, you might want to check out some of the popular cat café’s around the country. Here’s a smattering of just a few in no order of popularity.
Cats and Coffee in Krakow | © Kocia Kawiarnia Kociarnia
The first of Kraków’s cat cafes (there’s bound to be more opening soon) was Kocia Kawiarnia Kociarnia. What was once a small cafe has grown into two venues – the one on Krowoderska is open on the weekends only, and the one on Lubicz is open every day. Both offer the chance to sip frothy cappuccinos and strong French presses in the company of furry friends. The interior is simple, with the main focus on the cats, unusual place amidst the city’s other beer bars and vodka joints.
Cat Cafe, Gdynia | © Northern Irishman in Poland
Cat lovers and those with a taste for the absurd should head to Gdynia’s very special ‘Cat Café’. Known as Biały Kot Kocia Kawiarnia (The White Cat Café), this is the first of its kind in the city and has received visitors and acclaim from far and wide. It has coffee, Wi-Fi, a selection of tasty pastries, and many cats. If you only have the chance to order one cup of coffee in Gdynia, this is the place. The interior is memorable and has a reputation for being a great experience on a low budget (coffee starts at six złotych).
More Cat Cafe’s to delight cat lovers
Miau Cafe, Wierzbno, Warsaw | © Miau Cafe
The inventively named Miau Café, located just a few minutes from the Wierzbno metro station, is one of Warsaw’s quirkiest new cafes, being named after what many of us think a cat sounds like. Here you can escape the busy streets of the Polish capital to sip coffee in the company of cats. This cafe is You can order large lattes topped with marshmallows and sit with several feline friends in a cozy atmosphere.
Kotka Cafe | © Cat Cafe, Gdańsk
The seaside city of Gdańsk’s first cat cafe open in 2017 became a huge hit with cat lovers. The simply titled Kotka Cafe is in the city’s trendy Oliwa district. Here you’ll find delicious fruit smoothies along with the cats and coffee. Before visiting, you might want to check the out on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Cats in Herbaciarnia Kocie Oczy | © Herbaciarnia Kocie Oczy
On the longest shopping street in Europe, Ulica Piotrkowska, a little tea and coffee house known as Herbaciarnia Kocie Oczy, this delightful place offers visitors a chance to sip on some fine tea and coffee, while being surrounded by cats. There is a bookshelf full of books, many of them cat related. There are cat ornaments and pictures, as well as real resident cats roaming around. Indulge in tasty cakes while taking in the decor that reflects a vintage family home, complete with old sewing machines and wooden wardrobes.