A new café in Paris is offering patrons a chance to enjoy a little one-on-one time with a member of the cat population while they enjoy their coffee and croissants. The “Cafe des Chats” is situated at the center of the Marais district in France’s capital and most famous city. There, visitors will find a dozen felines weaving between their legs and catnapping on armchairs.

The city’s many apartments often prohibit residents from keeping pets. The eatery seeks to comfort those who love to have a cat companion but aren’t allowed to. Café manager Margaux Gandelon is a firm believer in the benefits “purr therapy” can provide to humans.

She explains that the vibrations that accompany the purring are soothing to arthritis and rheumatism sufferers and that in turn can lower blood pressure and decrease your heartbeat.

During the restaurant’s week long opening, customers stood in long queues that snaked along the sidewalk. Reservations were taken extending out for months and more than 300 would-be patrons had to be turned away.

Gandelon makes the safety and protection of the animals a main focus. Patrons are not allowed to stress the cats and anyone not abiding y the rules will be asked to leave.

The cats were all abandoned or stray cats Gandelon adopted from a pet rescue agency. Habby, is one of those, a little charmer who suffers from feline dwarfism. Habby has an unusually short tail and short paws. After 2 years with foster families, he hadn’t found a home until Margaux came along. Now he is happy and well-adjusted to his new home, looking forward to the daily attention he receives.

The way the cats in this video are claiming these dogs’ spaces, and not looking to be moving any time soon, is a hoot to watch!

In the first shot, the dog is seen walking around the cat, trying to negotiate somewhere to sit, but failing! Awwww!

The next dog makes a bit more of a protest and howls! The next two dogs resign themselves to sitting in a much smaller, less comfy bed (one of them in an INSANELY smaller area!)
The funniest is the cat that’s alllll stretched out with its limbs, just chilling.

In some of the clips, the owners do try to encourage the dogs to claim what’s theirs, but well, it doesn’t work. Poor things.

One little dog is seen barking at the cat, and the cat doesn’t move an inch. One cat fights back!

There’s a really cute clip where the cat’s soooo small (around 1:14).

…and then one where the dog tries to cover the cat with a blanket!

The next clips after that show the dogs dragging their beds with the cats in them - maybe in the hopes that they’ll tumble out.

There’s one dog that manages to fit itself in with the cat!

And then HURRAAAAAAH, some cats actually oblige and leave the bed, some of their own accord, others after being chased off it or tumbled out of it. Other dogs choose to share their beds, which is rather sweet. Some snuggle up too.

Lovely, funny video.