Moscow’s beloved cat theatre reopens

Moscow’s legendary cat theatre has opened after an 18-month renovation with the addition of a new space for cat lovers to hang out and pet the feline creatures. The Kuklachev theatre, the only one in the world dedicated to “actors” with four paws, was founded by the eccentric clown Yuri Kuklachev and his son Dmitry in 1990. Since then, its feline celebrities have been delighting both children and adults with a range of stunts from tightrope walking to climbing poles.

The new space, which will be home to more than 120 cats, many of them from the streets, took its inspiration from Asian cat cafes, which have grown in popularity over recent years. In February, Londoners clubbed together to donate more than £100,000 to go towards the opening of a cat cafe in the capital while the St Petersburg-based Cat Republic — a cafe, library, cinema and exhibition gallery — has been offering a similar service since 2011.

As part of the renovations, each of the 36 cat breeds will have its own themed area: Persian cats will be able to lounge on Persian carpets while Siberians will have their very own Siberian landscape.

Source: RBTH