Unemployed woman opens cat café in Kouvola and now spends nights with the feline staff

After losing her job, Hilkka Tiihonen decided to turn her dream into reality by opening a cat café in Inkeroinen, Kouvola, where she now also spends her nights with the resident cats, reports Yle.

The café, which opened on Valentine’s Day, is home to three cats—Jerry, Kaunotar, and Rusina-Unelma—all around six months old. Tiihonen chose an unconventional approach by staying overnight at the café to ensure the cats are never left alone.

“I thought, if not now, then never,” Tiihonen said of her decision. “The cats are so small—I wouldn’t want them to be alone. Someone could break a window.”

When Tiihonen is not at the café, her sister stays overnight instead. The cats sleep in the same bed as Tiihonen in the office area.

Kouvola’s supervisory veterinarian Essi Pietilä approves of the arrangement, noting that the cats must always have access to a quiet space, even during opening hours. “It’s important to choose cats that aren’t too shy or prefer complete solitude,” Pietilä said.

Tiihonen’s cats quickly adapted to the café environment, often napping openly in chairs even when customers are present. School-aged children, in particular, are drawn to the cats, which greet visitors at the door.

The café has already attracted repeat visitors, including Anu Vottonen, who has come four times with her mother, Raija. “We might bring more friends here later,” Vottonen said. Others, like Helsinki resident Miihkali Härkönen, have traveled specifically to visit the cat café while in Kouvola.

Finland currently has five cat cafés, located in Kouvola, Tampere, Turku, Helsinki, and Kuopio. While some have faced criticism over animal welfare—including allegations of mistreatment in Tampere and a suspected animal welfare violation in Kuopio—Tiihonen’s café has not raised concerns. Supervisory veterinarians can inspect such businesses without prior suspicion, but no issues have been found in Inkeroinen.

Tiihonen, who previously worked as a store manager and led an unemployment association, has visited other cat cafés in Finland and Tallinn. She believes her current setup—with just three cats—is ideal. “More cats could lead to stress or fights,” she said. “These three groom each other, play, and run around. I don’t want the café to smell like cat urine.”