Franchising

Orlando Cat Cafe unleashes franchising opportunity

All photos provided by Orlando Cat Cafe

January 22, 2025

After eight years of serving coffee and facilitating nearly 3,000 cat adoptions in partnership with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Florida, Orlando Cat Cafe is ready to franchise. The restaurant, which allows daily customers to interact with 12 to 20 adoptable cats and kittens, is one of the nearly 300 cat cafes in the U.S. and the first to franchise.

"There are a lot of very well-meaning people out there who would like to do this but truly don't know where to start because it is such a new concept," Founder and CEO Sandra Cagan said in an email interview with FastCasual. "We just started selling late last year. We have none sold yet but do expect to have our first franchisee later this month."

Opening a Cat Cafe

Cagan's franchise model offers turnkey support, including site selection, training, operational guidance and marketing assistance. The initial investment ranges from $412,426 to $643,907, which includes a $42,750 initial franchise fee.

"We're thrilled to be the first to bring a franchise opportunity to the cat cafe concept," Cagan said. "This is more than just a business; it's a movement to create spaces where people can unwind, connect, and make a difference in the lives of rescue cats. We've fine-tuned the model here in Orlando, and now we're ready to share it with the world."

Orlando Cat Cafe is targeting large cities with robust and growing tourist economies.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for people to open their own cat cafe and bring this unique experience to their communities," Cagan said. "This is about spreading joy, fostering connections, and finding forever homes for cats."

Adopting a cat

Customers hoping to adopt a cat can meet several cats when visiting the cafe. Trained staff and volunteers answer questions about the animals and provide the background information available on each pet.

"Our goal is to match a pet's personality and needs with a family's needs and lifestyle to increase the likelihood of a lifetime happy relationship for the whole family," Cagan said.

All of the cats at The Orlando Cat Café are spayed/neutered, tested for feline leukemia and feline aids, receive vaccinations for feline distemper, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and rabies (if age appropriate), are dewormed, receive monthly flea prevention and are microchipped.

Just cattin' around

If adopting a cat isn't possible, customers are still welcome.

"We have quite a few regulars who love to come in and just hang out with cats and see the new ones that arrive weekly as well as cafe regulars who come for the coffee and they may or may not even visit with the cats," Cagan said. "We also get quite a few tourists who are on holiday and missing their cat at home so they come for a 'feline fix' and others who come because they have never been to a cat cafe and want to experience something different on their holiday."