I visited The Mad Catter cat café in Eastbourne

After chatting with a business owner about their plan to open one in Brighton in a few months' time, I decided to trek to The Mad Catter in Eastbourne to see what the fuss was all about.

I arrived for a late afternoon visit having booked online, something which is essential to do as the Mad Catter gets booked up days in advance.

After sitting down on the sofa with one of the café’s furry inhabitants I was given a quick run through some ground rules and off I went.

The Mad Hatter houses 16 cats which are free to roam around, climb on the walls, and occasionally try and nibble at your food.

Cats on a tower in the centre of The Mad Catter (Image: The Argus)

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While my caramel slice was a great sweet treat it seemed like the kittens might have liked it even more – the second it was placed down on the table we were swarmed by a myriad of moggies trying to catch a few crumbs of pastry.

Some of the cats prefer to lounge around and avoid being stroked, but others are more than happy to sit on your lap for some affection.

Cats come and sit on your lap (Image: The Argus)

At one point I was greeted by Cherri, a four-year-old black and white cat who clambered onto my lap and curled up in a ball, more than happy to be stroked and scratched behind the ears.

I also enjoyed watching the other cats climbing onto tables, sitting in beds fixed to the walls and enjoying the attention they were getting from a dozen adoring customers.

The Mad Catter in Eastbourne (Image: The Argus)

Overall, the cat café felt like a purr-fect place for an animal lover to sit and relax in a stress-free environment.

Sessions are an hour and a half long – a good amount of time to take in the experience but we would have happily stayed for longer.

The Mad Catter is well worth a visit if a cat café is on your bucket list, I cannot wait to see how the concept will be replicated in Brighton.