Already popular in Japan, cat cafés are becoming somewhat of a new trend in the greater Shanghai area. Run by cat owners who let their feline friends roam around and interact with the customers, places like Le Petit Jardin, Cat & Jazz and the newly opened Cat Café Bliss are popping up in areas like the French Concession and Gubei. We weigh in on what works with these little niche joints and what doesn't.

Pro: The 1920s-style furniture takes you back to the past to a nostalgic era.
Con: Sitting in a rickety wagon that's made of shaky wooden slats at Bliss might just make you into a thing of the past.

Pro: Intimate spaces at these indie coffee shops let the anti-corporate alt customer feel good about supporting local businesses.
Con: Your cappuccino will take up the entire nightstand--uh, we mean, table.

Pro: Cat lovers who don't own their own cats can cuddle all they want for the price of a cup of latte.
Con: A regular coffee with no sprucings runs about RMB36 at Cat & Jazz, more than a tall roast of the day at Starbucks.

Pro: The relatively isolated locations lets you avoid the usual crowded city fervor.
Con: Trying to scout out Cat & Jazz--located in a nondescript building where you have to ring a bell and to be taken upstairs--might make you want to bring out your own claws.

Pro: Furry felines! Cuddle, frolic and frisk!
Con: Feral felines. Cuddle at your own risk.

Did we miss a cat cafe? Please leave them as comments and we'll add them in!