For $10, you can play with rare and expensive Bengali cats in Singapore

TICKLE YOUR FANCY?

I've been to two cat cafés in Singapore but this one, at a tiny shop inside a building called Icon@Changi, is different because what it lacks in space it makes up for in the rare breed that it has behind its glass doors. 

Bengal cats, a mix between a domestic cat and the Asian leopard cat, is one of the most expensive breeds available in the world. Here in Singapore, they sell between $3,500 and $6,500 depending on how clear and pronounced their markings are. They have beautiful spots (technically called rosettes) instead of stripes, something Joyce Wildenstein would feel at home in. Unlike Joyce, they have a playful temperament and are comfortable in their own skin.

The owner of this space says that, in a way, Bengal cats are more like dogs. The ones I interacted with hardly meowed, much less barked. 

Because the shop facade is made entirely of glass, you can watch the cats from outside, and they don't charge you for that. If you want to enter, $10 gets you 15 minutes of "Bengal Cat Experience" and one drink. 

I only had $9 on me, but the friendly owner said that was okay.

He let out two kittens (they're the ones in the photo), the same dynamic duo who entertained the guy who was there before my turn (only four people at a time can be inside the room). I picked up a feather stick and started playing with the cats, who loved the attention, but because of the tight space (there's a three-seater sofa, that's it), there wasn't a lot you could do.

There were at least eight cats there; the rest of them were in capsule rooms carved into a glass cabinet by the wall. At one point, when I was leaning against the cabinet's doors, a tiny paw made its way out of the slight opening and started playfully clawing me. Adorable.

I had to leave before I fell in love.

Designer Bengali Singapore, #01-08 Icon@Changi, 228 Changi Rd, Singapore 419741. Tue-Sun 12pm-8pm.