Cat Cafes? Try Owl Cafes Where You Can Live Out Your Harry Potter Fantasies

New Yorkers went nuts last weekend for the country's first cat café experiment, with lines of sad cat people, happy cat people and just plain curious cat people waiting for hours to enjoy a free cup of coffee while petting a cat at the same time. “Wait…,” you might be thinking. “These people may already own cats. They could have coffee and pet those cats at home.” You are correct, which is why we say if you’re going to open an animal café, put some weird creatures in it. This is clearly the thinking behind Japan's owl cafes.

As evidenced by the photos below, the birds at owl cafes perch all over you while you gently pet their heads. Unfortunately, the format probably won't fly in the U.S., where keeping owls is illegal and veteran birders are quick to point out the potential dangers to humans. (Their razor-sharp claws can grab you with a force of 500 PSI.) If you do get to visit one of these magical restaurants or stumble upon an owl in the forest, mind the rules: no flash photography and no loud talking.

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