Georgetown’s Newest Hot Spot Has Cats

By Keaton O'Neil • September 20, 2015

Since the demise of Rhino, there’s been a hole left in the heart of Georgetown social life that no Club Monaco can replace. While Crumbs and Whiskers isn’t exactly a 1:30 a.m. destination, it adds a special flare to the D.C. social scene and a chance to make a connection with a special furry someone.

Crumbs and Whiskers, conveniently on O Street by Wisconsin Avenue, is D.C.’s first cat café. Intended for human visitors to mingle with cats, it’s a great spot to hang out with friends, eat, study and get to know some new felines in a relaxed setting. Upon my first visit this week, I couldn’t help but notice similarities between this cat café and the D.C. bar experience.

I first met the bouncer, who made me wait outside for a bit. They don’t open until 4 p.m. on Mondays and the establishment was packed to catacity with 22 felines. Luckily I had gone online ahead of time and made myself a reservation, so I got to cut the line and start assessing the scene.

There were cats everywhere.

You got kitties all blinged up to show their attitude.

You got kitties dancing on furniture.

You got kitties passed out, straight napping on the floor.

You got kitties going hard on bar food at the end of a long day.

One of the more forward kitties came up to me and started DFMOing (I never even knew her name).

Tensions got pretty raw at one point, as Rigatoni felt provoked that another kitty was crashing in on his territory. It was unclear who threw the first punch, but there was some mild paw action that followed.

Both cats walked away unscathed, but Rigatoni’s opponent shot some death glares from across the room.

Mitty and I really hit it off. A part of me felt like he was only hanging with me for the photos, but at least he provided a great Instagram to boost my cred.