Paris, France
Paris Cats
A city walk from Montmartre’s cemetery cats to mosque tea-room naps, yellow M. Chat murals, and Paris cat cafés.
Before you go
- Montmartre Cemetery is a place of remembrance — no loud voices, no chasing cats for photos.
- Chat Mallows requires a reservation; Le Café des Chats generally does not (confirm on site).
- Street-art murals can be painted over — keep expectations flexible for M. Chat.
- Do not rearrange cemetery shelters or feeding bowls.
About Paris Cats
Paris is not a classic “cat island,” but feline life appears in several clear stops. The strongest colony is at Montmartre Cemetery (Cimetière de Montmartre), where free-roaming cats rest among the tombs; volunteers from L’École du Chat have long helped with sterilisation, care, and shelters. Treat the cemetery as a place of remembrance — keep voices low and observe quietly. Elsewhere, the tea room of the Grande Mosquée de Paris is often mentioned for a resident tabby dozing on a lounge; presence is not guaranteed. For street art, look for Thoma Vuille’s grinning yellow “M. Chat” (Monsieur Chat) — one frequently cited mural is in Impasse Sainte-Marthe (10th); murals can change, so treat locations as approximate. Indoor options include Le Café des Chats (9 rue Sedaine, 11th; France’s pioneering cat café from 2013, rescue cats) and Chat Mallows Café (30 rue des Volontaires, 15th; reservation required). C215’s blue-black cats, Chanoir’s hat cats near Canal Saint-Martin, and the historic Le Chat Noir cabaret poster tradition are part of Paris cat culture too, but are easier to enjoy as atmosphere than as fixed pins. Follow café rules and never disrupt cemetery feeding stations.
Paris Walking Map
Open in Google MapsThis map covers Montmartre Cemetery, an M. Chat mural, the Grande Mosquée, and two cat cafés. Use the metro — Paris is spread out. Respect the cemetery and mosque; murals may change. Locations are approximate.
Paris Spot Guide
How to get to Paris Cats
Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY), then continue by RER, metro, bus, or taxi. Montmartre Cemetery is near metro Blanche, Place de Clichy, or La Fourche (check a current map for the Avenue Rachel entrance).
For a cat-focused day, start at the cemetery, then use the metro between the mosque (5th; Jardin des Plantes / Place Monge area), Impasse Sainte-Marthe (10th), Le Café des Chats (near Bastille / Bréguet-Sabin), and Chat Mallows (15th; Pasteur area). Distances are city-wide — plan metro hops rather than one continuous walk. Confirm café hours and Chat Mallows reservations on the official sites before you go.
- Reach central Paris by RER, metro, bus, or taxi from CDG or ORY.
- Start at Montmartre Cemetery (Avenue Rachel entrance) — observe cats quietly.
- Metro hop to the Grande Mosquée tea room (5th) if you want a café stop with a possible resident cat.
- Array
- Visit Le Café des Chats and/or reserve Chat Mallows Café — check hours and rules first.
More Colony spots
Cape Town Cats
Cape Town, South Africa
Nardstar’s bold cat murals on Long Street and at the V&A Waterfront, street cats in the colourful Bo-Kaap, and a calm CBD pause at Company’s Garden — Cape Town’s feline side is a city walk, not a single colony.
De Poezenboot (The Catboat)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
A floating cat sanctuary on a canal boat in Amsterdam, Netherlands — rescued cats live aboard De Poezenboot (The Catboat).
Dubrovnik Cats
Dubrovnik, Croatia
A UNESCO-walled Adriatic city where community cats — locals’ “oldest citizens” — nap on warm stone, ATM ledges, and harbour edges throughout the Old Town.
Gotanjoji Cat Temple
Echizen, Japan
A Soto Zen training temple in Echizen, Fukui, where rescued cats live alongside monks — known as “Neko-dera.”
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