The Cat Lover’s Guide to Amsterdam

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to the Netherlands was how much the Dutch seem to love their cats. In Australia, I think the rate of dog-ownership is probably higher than cat-ownership, but in the Netherlands it seems to be the other way around. I think the main reason for that is this is a very densely populated tiny country, so many people live in apartments where it’s just easier to have a cat for a pet than a dog. But for those of us who love cats, it means that we can see cats wherever we go, particularly in Amsterdam! Not only are there plenty of resident cats who may deign to allow you to pat them but Amsterdam is also home to some special cat-themed attractions. In this guide I’m including all the places you can see cats in Amsterdam, including businesses with resident cats as well as the main attractions. Read on so you can also plan a purrrfect trip to Amsterdam!

The Best ‘Catty’ Attractions in Amsterdam

There are three main attractions in Amsterdam where you are guaranteed to see cats of some description – whether they are real or just artwork:

De Poezenboot

De Poezenboot (which means The Catboat in Dutch) is the world’s only floating cat shelter, where rescue cats stay temporarily, or live permanently, on a converted houseboat in the Singel Canal. This shelter has been around since 1968 and is free to visit, but since it’s a non-profit then a donation or purchase of something in the gift shop is very appreciated. It has also become very popular over the years, so if you want to visit for yourself then you may need to wait a while as they only allow six visitors in at a time – and it is quite a small space. Inside you can meet some cats, some of whom are friendly and some of whom are not, although they do have signs warning you which cats to avoid!

My favourite cat (who was there on both my previous visits) was the grumpy looking grey fluffy one in the picture above, called Kasumi, who likes to sit on a shelf right next to the entrance so she can try to escape. The shelter itself is pretty cool, with a sort of terrace area where the cats can sit outside (but still enclosed) and watch birds go by on the canal. If you want to visit the Catboat, it’s only open to visitors on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, from 1pm to 3pm. You can find out more on the website here.

KattenKabinet

The KattenKabinet (Cat Cabinet) is a unique art gallery/museum in Amsterdam which is dedicated ENTIRELY to art featuring cats! While it’s a rather small space it is packed with all manner of paintings, drawings, posters, sculptures, crockery and more unique pieces all celebrating the beauty of cats in some form or other. Some of the highlights include original pieces by Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt, along with an original costume from the musical Cats, a mummified cat from around 200 BC and a pinball machine featuring Lucky Cat figurines!

Again, while this is a small museum, it’s very fun for a wander around if you like cats and/or art. There are also a couple of real-life resident cats who often walk over the exhibits or you might spot sleeping somewhere – just don’t pat the black and white one as he bites! The KattenKabinet is open Tuesday to Sunday from midday until 5pm and costs €12.50 for adults, although there are discounts for students, seniors and anyone with an Iamsterdam Card. Children under 12 can visit for free. Find out more on the official website and read more about my visits here!

Kattencafé Kopjes

And for an attraction where you can definitely pat the cats (if they approach you/aren’t trying to sleep) then you might want to visit Amsterdam’s cat café: Kopjes! The name of this cat café is a cute little play on words (in Dutch) as kopjes can mean ‘little cups’ (and you drink coffee out of a cup if you go there) but it’s also the Dutch word for when a cat gives you a little head bump, which I think is very sweet. At this cat café you can have a drink and/or something to eat while hanging out in what feels like a small living room, surrounded by 7 resident cats.

Kopjes is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am until 7pm. It costs €6 to enter which doesn’t include anything, but you also don’t have to buy anything, it’s just more pleasant to maybe have some coffee and cake while hanging out with the cats. You can find out more on the official website and read more about our visit here.

Other Places Where You Can/Might See Cats in Amsterdam

Aside from those three main cat attractions, there are some other places in Amsterdam where you may (or will definitely) see more cats in Amsterdam and they are as follows:

• Rokin Metro Station: Rokin is already a cool metro station because it features a miniature museum which you can see as you travel on the escalators, but it also contains some mosaic art of all sorts of different animals – including a cat! So if you want a photo of the cat pictured above, make sure you catch the metro from Rokin at some point during your time in Amsterdam.

• Museum van Loon: Museum van Loon is a museum in a beautiful old canal house that’s been done up to show how a wealthy family from the 17th century would have lived – and apparently the garden is often visited by a neighbour cat. I have been to the museum garden once and didn’t see any cats, but it was during the Amsterdam Garden Days so it was very busy. Other visitors have mentioned that they sometimes see a beautiful cat in the garden, so maybe you might want to try your luck as well!

• Karthuizerhof: This is one of the enclosed private gardens in the Jordaan district, which I have also heard is often graced by visits of resident cats. Just be mindful that this is a residential area, so you are allowed in but you should be respectful of the people who live here in your quest to find cats…

• Artis: Of course, if you want to see cats of the BIG variety then you could just go to the zoo! Artis is Amsterdam’s zoo, which is home to lots of animals including felines such as jaguars and lions.

• Hotel Estheréa: I’ve also read that this very beautiful-looking hotel has a couple of friendly resident cats, so if you’re really keen, you could stay here purely for the chance to also see them.

• Random streets: Of course, just keep your eyes peeled as you’re wandering around Amsterdam and you’re bound to spot some real-life cats going about their day, as well as street art or graffiti featuring cats!

Places to Eat and Drink with Cats in Amsterdam

There are also quite a few cafés, bars and pubs which have resident cats, although seeing them is not guaranteed. But if you want to maximise your chances, maybe go out for food and drinks at one of these establishments.

• Café de Doelen: A traditional Dutch ‘brown bar/café’ for a cosy drink or something to eat. Some reviews and photos show a resident cat, which you may or may not also see.

• Charlie’s Kitchen: A burger/ribs/steak joint in the red light district which also has a cute resident cat.

• Proeflokaal A. van Wees: A proeflokaal is a traditional Dutch beverage tasting establishment, and this one was originally for genever. It still looks very traditional, although you can also have beer and snacks. Resident bar cat Mango even has his own Instagram page!

• Gollem’s Proeflokaal: There are six Gollem beer cafés in Amsterdam, but the one with a resident cat is the proeflokaal near the Vondelpark, which is also where you can get a meal along with your drinks.

• The Pool Bar: This is exactly what it sounds like – a bar where you can play pool (along with shuffleboard and board games)! There’s also a resident bar cat you might get to see.

• Festina Lente: This nice café/brown bar doesn’t actually have a real resident cat, but there’s a well known bronze sculpture outside called De Vaste Klant which depicts a former regular customer patting a cat. It was made by Albert Zweep, who was indeed a regular who paid off his high bill with the artwork!

• Ichisin Ramen Hokkaido: Finally, this ramen restaurant doesn’t actually have any resident cats (or a website) but the artwork on the exterior (see below) is very cute and the food does look good too!

Map of Amsterdam Cat Sights

I’ve marked all these places on a map of Amsterdam so you can more easily find ALL the cats. Just click on the map below to see the full thing. I hope it helps you have an a-meow-zing trip!

Pin Me!

Do you know of any places in Amsterdam where you can see cats that I’ve left off this list? Let me know in the comments or pin one of these if you’re planning your own feline-themed visit to the city!