10 Things for Cat Lovers to Do in Los Angeles This Weekend

This blog post on Things for Cat Lovers To Do In Los Angeles is for all my cat-loving friends in the City of Los Angeles (and beyond, I’ll explain why in a minute). I lived over thirty years in LA which included apartments in Los Feliz, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Downtown Los Angeles near the Crypto.com Arena (once Staples Center) and Mid-Wilshire. Less than five of those thirty years, I lived with my adorable cat, Lulu. Once I adopted her, I realized the great joy that was missing from my life. I immediately wanted to explore things with her. So, I bought a cat harness thinking that she would want to go with me on my many adventures to the supermarket and the pet store. I quickly learned that Lulu had no affinity for the outside world at all, and couldn’t understand why I would stress her out and remove her from her comfort zone. But something was missing from my daily life as a cultural explorer. Cats were missing for me. I began to research places that I could go to celebrate my love for felines. Since I’ve done the research, this post is meant to give you ideas of activities to explore in Los Angeles, or your own hometown this weekend.

1. CatCon: August 2-3, at the Pasadena Convention Center.

CatCon is the ultimate worldwide convention for cat lovers. For the first time, Comfort Diva will be exhibiting at this event in Booth 1007. This year CatCon celebrates its 10th anniversary and hosts the event in Pasadena, which is a suburb just northeast of Downtown. There will be informative workshops, vendors with cat toys and cat t-shirts, and of course, Comfort Diva will be launching our Catnap Gift Set at the show. Remember that 10% of each sale on comfortdiva.com goes to benefit cat rescues. You can shop comfortdiva.com from anywhere in the continental United States.

2. CatCafe Lounge

I mean, what could be better than petting a kitty while you are having your chai latte? The Cat Cafe Lounge on Sepulveda Blvd., is the purr-fect cat lounge to play with a kitty and is filled with adoptable cats that you will love.You will need to make a reservation on their website before you go. They are a non-profit organization that offers sound bath, yoga and feline therapy, so that you can harmonize your mental and emotional state while you get your kitty on with a friendly cat. What could be more relaxing than doing child’s pose next to a cute kitty on your mat? Also, check out Crumbs and Whiskers, for another coffee shop and cat café option. They have great merchandise, and they clearly love pink as much as I do. If you aren’t in Los Angeles, cat cafés are becoming all the rage and you should Google or ask ChatGPT if there is one in your area. I know that lots of cities are combining them now with independent bookstores and coffee shops. In fact, Bodega Cats are now a trend on TikTok in New York!

3. The Black Cat

If you are looking for something that offers a cat-themed dining experience with a touch of history, check out The Black Cat in Silver Lake. A registered historical landmark and the site of the first LGBT demonstration in the nation, it combines whimsical dining with the experience of revisiting a place that witnessed the first entrapment of gay men by police officers in 1967 and consequently the first public protest in Southern California for gay rights. Silverlake is an area that's close to Sunset Boulevard and Griffith Park Observatory. As an added bonus, Silver Lake is a mecca of thrift stores where you can find really cool attire and accessories for affordable prices. If you aren't in Los Angeles, there are other cities that feature historical cat-centric historic landmarks such as:

• The Feline Historical Museum - Alliance, Ohio

• The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum - Key West, Florida

• American Museum of the House Cat - Sylva, North Carolina

• Florence Griswold Museum - Old Lyme, Connecticut

• Brooklyn Heights Cat Tours - New York, New York

• The White House - Washington, D.C.

Do a local search in your town and let me know if there is a historical landmark with a feline story to tell in your town.

4. Cat Treats

If spoiling your kitty or yourself is more your thing, check out the Catnip Coalition Vintage Mall on Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank. They have resident cats in the store, a cat walk and cat-themed accessories to make you smile with treats for your feline friend. You can check them out on Instagram @catnipcoalition. They offer local vendors and more thrifting to make you meow with delight and fill feline lovers with delight!

5. Donate Your Time at a Rescue

If you want to donate a few hours out of your weekend to give some personal attention to rescue cats, check out the Kitten Rescue, with adoptable cats looking for forever homes. They are a great organization focused on fostering to adopt feline residents. Local shelters are a great place to make a new feline companion. FYI - Comfort Diva will be donating gift items to their annual Fur Ball and we could not be more excited about it.

6. Cat-Friendly Bookstores

Open Monday through Saturday, the Iliad Bookshop in North Hollywood is ranked as one of the best and largest used bookstores in the city and is a serene place to pet a kitty and find a new book. Their bookstore comes with two VERY social cats. They specialize in books on literature and the arts including graphic novels. This could become your favorite spot and one of the many hidden gems that make Los Angeles County special.

7. Pawsome British Pub

Maybe your weekend requires a pint of ale after a hard week at work. The Cat and Fiddle has been a Los Angeles mainstay since 1982. Famous for their savory pies, fish and chips and Scottish eggs, they have a playful feline theme for you to enjoy with your pint of Guinness. This may become your favorite place for a weekend wind down.

8. Cat Eye Mani Pedi

Maybe a cute manicure and pedicure on the weekend is more your thing. Keep the cat theme going with a cat eye manicure at QQ Nails and Spa on Melrose. Their manicures are highly rated and long-lasting. There's nothing like some quality time spent reflecting on how much you love your kitty with a high fashion nail job.

      9.    Art Prints and Cat-Tastic Comic Books

If you are feeling a bit more artsy and feel like taking a drive, check out the Cool Cat Collective in Long Beach. They feature wall art from local artists, cat adoptions and comic books that are sure to make you purr with joy. Cat owners can enjoy the purr-prints and geek out on anime.

     10. Cats On Mats Yoga

Finally, you may just want to get your Asana on with a furry four-legged friend. Tailtown in Pasadena offers a yoga class with cats on Sunday, August 2. You can check that out at their website Tailtowncats.com. They are a non-profit adoption agency that partners with Kitten Rescue. This is a great way to feel like you are part of a furry family during your cat pose.

If you do have an adventurous cat, you can always purchase one of the bubble backpacks for cats on Amazon and take a hike on one of the great Los Angeles trails, go for a walk on the beach in Santa Monica, or place your pawprint on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I look forward to meeting new friends this weekend at CatCon!