PET ECONOMY PURRS AHEAD AS CAT, POOCH CAFES SPREAD

Rise of responsible ownership, tailored services drive boom in sector, experts say

With the pet population soaring and the pet economy flourishing in China, a wave of pet cafes has surged across the country, offering popular retreats where visitors can unwind while mingling with adorable animals.

There are over 3,500 cat cafe-related companies and more than 200 dog cafe-related businesses in the country, data from Qichacha, a leading platform offering company information inquiry services, showed.

Kwak Nakyung, a 24-year-old international student from the Republic of Korea, visits a stray cat cafe in Beijing twice a week with her friends. She is particularly drawn to a feline named Nainai.