Abu Dhabi has a new spot that combines UAE residents’ love for cats and coffee. Meow Cafe, which had its soft opening in November, is the first venue of its kind to open in the capital. The well-lit space, located at Al Muneera, is home to 13 furry residents.
The venue is inspired by the cat cafes found in Japan – the interiors even feature a cherry blossom tree – where visitors can enjoy hot and cold beverages and baked treats, from crepe cakes to zaatar croissants.
Meanwhile animal lovers can head to a separate section to play with the cats, many of which sport Japanese-inspired names such as Yuri and Kora. There are different breeds, from Siamese and Persians to British shorthairs.
Scroll through the gallery above for a look at the cat cafe
The entry fee to the cat section is Dh45 for adults and Dh35 for children under 10 for an hour.
There, customers can interact with the fluffy residents that roam freely.
The space features plenty of accessories for the animals, from cat trees to scratching posts, and a glass wall that allows the animals to people-watch.
There’s also a separate area to which the cats can retreat if they don’t feel like socialising with customers.
Meow Cafe started as a passion project, says Mouza Al Mannaei, the operations manager, with all of the cats rescued.
“Some are adopted, some are dumped pets, and some were bought because they were found in bad shape in Al Mina,” Ms Al Mannaei says.
“They stayed with the owner’s family for three years before they were moved to this location.”
The idea for the cafe came when the owner visited Japan and saw the venues there. Her daughter was a huge fan of the animals but they couldn’t go in because young children weren’t allowed.
It sparked the idea for a cat cafe in the UAE that was family-friendly, and didn’t place restrictions on age.
Of course, there are “cat rules” that have to be followed to ensure the children and cats are having a good time.
Children are told not to jump, run or yell at the animals, to be gentle with them at all times, and not to use a flash camera. Children also have to be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum two for each grown-up.
“The staff are also on hand," Ms Al Mannaei says. "They will share the rules with those visiting the cats. If someone breaks the rules more than three times, they will be asked to leave, for the safety of children and the cats."
The rules support the cafe's overall goal – to make it more educational, especially for children.
“We wanted to teach young children the best way to properly interact with cats,” Ms Al Mannaei says.
“That way they can learn the proper way to deal with them, and make sure they don’t accidentally abuse them.
"Cats and other pets are a huge responsibility as well. This way, children got a chance learn about the responsibility that goes into caring for them before getting a pet.”
Unlike some other cat cafes around the world, the cats aren’t up for adoption or sale.
“We love the animals here, and are not looking to give them away,” Ms Al Mannaei says. “They’re part of the family.”
The concept of cat cafes isn't new to the UAE. Dubai's first cat cafe, Ailuromania, opened in 2015.
Dubai residents can also meet some furry friends at Vibrissae, a cafe named after the whiskers of a cat, that opened in Al Safa in 2021.
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
Meydan Racecourse racecard:
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m
8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Brief scores:
Newcastle United 1
Perez 23'
Wolverhampton Rovers 2
Jota 17', Doherty 90' 4
Red cards: Yedlin 57'
Man of the Match: Diogo Jota (Wolves)
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
