The Middle East’s first cat café opens its doors in Dubai

Guests enjoying coffee, cakes and cuddles by the cats in
Ailuromania Café – Photo Credit: Gulf News

Combining Dubai’s love for coffee and animals, Saudi sisters Eman, Aliaa and Omnia Al Aulaqi launched the first ever cat café in the Middle East on April 2, 2015. Located on Jumeirah Beach Road, Ailuromania Café is a coffee shop, which is home to 20 different rescue cats of a diverse breeds and ages.

“It all started 4 years ago, when Eman received a kitten as a gift, she has been rescuing and adopting cats ever since,” said café co-owner Omnia. “She was always keen on starting her own business someday. When she heard about these cat cafes that opened in London and Japan, and it was like a lightbulb moment for her,” she added. 

The idea originally started in Taiwan, and has become a big hit, as many furry feline lovers stand in line, waiting for their cup of coffee and quality time with the cuddly cats. “The concept of the café is unique, not many places have this sort of café, and here in Dubai there is a need for it,” explains Omnia. “There are so many people who love cats, but they can’t own one for whatever reason, so we make it easier for cat lovers to connect with cats on a personal level, by allowing them to have a bite and a cup of coffee in the company of our cats” she said.

Ailuromania is the first cafe featuring animals in the UAE, therefore, the process for opening the café was not an easy one. “This is the first café of its kind in the UAE, there were no rules or laws for it, so in order to get a permit and license the business, the municipality had to actually create rules and laws that the café would abide by, this process alone took us about 1 year,” Omnia explains.

Aside from the permit and licensing issues from the municipality, a strict concern from the Dubai Health and Safety Department gave the sisters many obstacles on how the café should serve food in a sanitary manner.

The idea of animals being in a café where food is served can be daunting; therefore, a separate extension was made with its own private entrance for the kitchen, where the food is made. “Nothing is cooked in the café, due to obvious health regulations, we cook our food in the kitchen which is separate from the café, and we only use the café to heat the food before serving it,” says Omnia.

The prestigious look and feel of the café comes at a minimum charge of 50 AED per person. “I find that the minimum charge is a bit excessive, but I guess that this figure is justifiable for the owners, considering that these cats need food, litter, vaccinations and regular grooming. I am not sure who would be willing to pay 50 AED just to see some cats, but I for one will be back,” said Elizabeth Bailey, a customer at Ailuromania café, and a self-proclaimed cat lover. 

“We have a lot of cats at home, which we hope to bring into the café permanently, but we do select the cats that are the most sociable. If any of the cats in the café are sick, we bring them home until they feel better. We do our best to make sure that both our customers and our cats are well taken care of,” said Omnia.

The cats, which are chosen to stay at the café, are based on their health and behaviour. They require grooming every 3 months, and annual vaccination check-ups to ensure that the cats are healthy and up to date and that the cafe upholds the highest standards of sanitation. “I’ve heard of these types of cafes, but I never imagined that I would see one in Dubai! The cats are so cuddly and beautiful. I hope that this business becomes a big hit; we need these kinds of open-minded ideas in the region, so that the idea of animals and humans living harmoniously together doesn’t seem so far-fetched. 

And They Say...

They say that we are the most intelligent species
They say that we are smart, compassionate and caring
But they speak without thinking
They say what they are but don't listen to what they are not
They believe that they are pure hearted yet they dare say that a dog is filthy
They say that a dog is ferocious, wild, needy and stupid
And they say and they say and they say
Yet they fail to mention the millions of lives that dogs change everyday
That dogs help heal the sick and bring joy to the elders
That dogs teach all humans how to live and how to love
That dogs are selfless, calm, rich and happy
That dogs can dedicate their lives to helping someone in exchange for affection
While we sit and fight for bread, power and money
We dare compare ourselves and even claim to be better than the very beings that serve their lives to protect
We are the species that can kill its own kind for greed
We are the species that harms due to an indifference of opinion
We are the species that discriminates and hates more than we can ever love
And yet they say, we are compassionate
They say we are smart, if intelligence justifies the thousands of killings and tortures from around the world Then I wish to be stupid
For being stupid - like a dog is the most peaceful way to live
They say we are caring, yet we barely acknowledge our own neighbors
They say that we are pure and clean, yet we can wash our hands with blood and feel no remorse
And they dare say that a dog is filthy
They say that dogs need humans to survive
Yet they don`t realize that we are learning the most valuable life lessons from dogs
We have learned to love, care, live selflessly, be patient, be loyal, to love unconditionally, to accept ourselves, to enjoy the journey (and I am just getting started..)
And they say that all this is not relevant in today's world, when the lessons that dogs teach us are what matter most in life
And they say and they say and they say.
But they will never understand because they are only humans.

The Power of a Single Rose

A head of brown hair, surrounded by roots of white and gray

Each strand tells the story of the pain and sacrifice of a mother in distress

A bed of wrinkles upon a sea of soft, radiant, illuminating skin

Each wrinkle tells a fascinating tale of courage and beauty

You are the stem that holds each pedal and each leaf together to form the perfect flower

As the pedals begin to grow, the leaf flees to fight passionately to save the soil that keeps you alive

For years he has put his life at risk, to shield you, to protect you, to save you

And you, you are left to care for two small pedals while you patiently wait for your better half to return home. 

Unknowing if you will continue this journey alone

The time was ticking slowly, and as painful as it was, you somehow remained hopeful

And though the winds were rough, and the rain was hard, you planted your roots firmly and remained strong and faithful

Until the day he returned home, and from then, your leafs grew greener and more vibrant than ever

Your soil was saved and your pedals continued to bloom as time flew by

With every passing day, your pedals grew more, and more, and more,

Forming a garden of devotion, loyalty, faith and love in an unimaginable and beautiful way

Looking down at the small garden that has resulted from your strength, sacrifice and courage, you have achieved a field of diverse beauty beneath you

And as the small flowers begin to blossom, we look up at you with tears in our eyes and pride in our hearts, as you have always been our inspiration and the beauty beneath our existence

The Cry of the Young

As I spent some quality time with myself last night, gathering my thoughts together and pondering upon my life, I began to realize a problem that is potentially destroying the young people of today. From the day that we are born, we have been completely victimized and manipulated by society and the expectations that have been implanted in our minds. We are constantly told what to do, how to think and how to feel. We have been taught to shield our emotions and to hide our feelings in order to show our strength.

The more I kept trying to understand life and society the more enraged I got, because I began to realize that my worth and my value in society has been immensely undermined. I have become a victim of a society that has set high standards and expectations (that are often not realistic) for people of all ages. We have all been manipulated by this system. We are all victims.

From the day that we have graced the earth with our existence, we have been taught to go to school in order to be educated and above all, to make something of ourselves. We have been taught that a university degree will guide us in our career and help us live the 'American dream'. Society has taught us that we can make change in the world and that with education and determination, we can and will be the future of tomorrow. Therefore, we subconsciously and stupidly assume that at age 25, our life will be like Barbie's dream world; married with a dream job, driving convertible cars, living in a luxurious house with two dogs and children. We are set to believe that by age 25, we will have it all figured out and our futures are assured.

This sounds wonderful and all- except that this is the kind of scenario that would happen to people like Paris Hilton. In the real world, the real harsh world, at age 25, you are clueless as to what you want to do with your life and your life has barely even started.

The job market today has dropped immensely and finding a job is like finding a needle in a hay stack, it's not impossible, but it's incredibly difficult. Why? Because in order to find a job, we need experience, in order to get experience we need a job. It is a never-ending vicious cycle that is controlling the young people of today.

So as we all play the real life game of survivor, we are on a mission to chase our dreams and to keep our ambitions alive by finding a job that will recognize our true potential. However- we start to lose faith in ourselves because of the higher authority that continuously reminds us that we are inexperienced, young, or simply not good enough.

Finding a dream job has become something that you read in fairy tales and novels because reality is a cruel and unkind teacher. At age 25, we are struggling to find jobs and to be happy. For some of us, putting food on the table is easier said than done. As a result, we settle for much less than we deserve in order to survive because life is nothing but a game of survival.

We are humans and though we are young, extremely undervalued and underestimated, we continue to dream, and to be optimistic. We continue to keep our spirits and ambitions alive by having hope, but hope- hope can only get us so far.

How many times have we heard, 'invest in the children of today because they are the future of tomorrow'? But how can we depend on the future of tomorrow when the future of tomorrow are not given a chance today?

So, what do we, the future of tomorrow have to offer?  A lot more than you will ever know, if only we are given a chance to prove it today. 

Dear 2 Year Old Me...

e.

Right now, you are a big ball of energy. You smile contagiously without a care in the world.

You embrace your perfect smile and chubby cheeks that helps shape your big, round, beautiful face- and have the courage to be different.

You have been told that life is not always what it seems, and that the world can often be a cruel place. You have heard that beyond the four walls of your home lies a life full of challenges and difficulties and you often wonder if it's true.

Your parents have moved you around from one country to the other, leaving you to make new friends and adapt to a new life independently.

During your journey, you will meet bullies, and you will get bullied. You will meet people who will question you. You will meet people who will tell you that you can't do it, and you will meet people who secretly hate you. You will fail and you will cry.

It's okay to be scared baby, but don't you dare let your fear control you. You are an extraordinary girl, you are a smart, strong and beautiful girl. Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't deserve what you want, and "don't you dare even for a second allow yourself to be manipulated by people who are not aware of your greatness."

During your journey, you will fail - many times. The key to failure is to get back up and keep going. Failure is inevitable - nobody is perfect. "Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand back up taller than you ever were." Failure lies within those who are willing to be defeated. "The sound of failure is not heard by people who refuse to give up."

In your future, you will meet people who will tell you that you are not pretty enough, you are not smart enough and that you are not good enough.  You will meet people who will tell you that you are not beautiful, and the closest people to you, will become complete strangers.

Please remember, that to be beautiful means to be yourself.  Your beauty is within you, it is your heart, your character and your attitude that defines your beauty. Believe in the person that you are capable of being and the beauty that you bestow. Please remember that you are smart and that anyone who brings you down is threatened by the greatness that you are. Don't be alarmed by those who belittle you, and those who despise you, those people secretly wish they were you. You are extraordinary.

Don't worry about life, life can be tough and people can be mean. But this is your life baby, this is your story, and you have the ability to change your story. You are your own author. Everything that you do, you are doing for yourself and you don't have to prove anything to anyone. "You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it."

Life is short baby, you will have plenty of ups and downs, you will struggle and you will thrive. You will defeat and you will be defeated. Don't take life for granted because "life is more beautiful than you can ever imagine, and so are you". Please remember to be kind because everyone is fighting a hard battle. Be kind, do good and live your life without regrets, after all, no one makes it out of here alive anyways.

"If you work really hard and you are kind, amazing things will happen."

Stay fierce babygirl

Love 24 year old me

The Challenge for Change

Last week, I officially began the journey of accomplishing my dreams. For those who don't know - my dream is and always has been to help people, to inspire people and to change the world. A big dream for a simple girl like me, I know.

I guess by doing the smallest of things, and helping even one person - you are already on your way to
changing the world.

When love and determination work together, expect a masterpiece.

On December 8, 2012, I taught a Zumba class to adults and teenagers living with Down Syndrome.
When I had originally agreed to teach this class, I didn't know exactly what to expect and what I was getting myself into, but it was a decision I made, under the assumption that I would get the experience I need to teach a proper Zumba class.
What started off being an experiment to test my Zumba abilities turned out to be a lot more than what I expected. For the first time in my life, I felt that I had actually accomplished something that had a purpose.

In life, everyone has ambitions and we are all looking for the same end result; to better ourselves. What makes us all unique is that we all have different goals, desires and dreams. We all use different approaches to reach our destination. What is most important however, is to remember that you are not the only person in the world. There are plenty of people who need your help and it's up to you to make a difference, to change someone's life and in essence, change the world. You don't need to travel to a poverty stricken area to create a change. All you need is to understand that you are only one person, but it only takes one person to make a difference. If you want to be successful, and if you want to be a better you, do something for someone who needs you.
The world needs people like you and me who are determined to make change in anyway that they can so that at the end of the day we sleep knowing that our life has meaning and value. There is goodness in the world and in humanity. We just need to find it by creating change and being beautiful.

There's a quote I read somewhere that says, "you have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." I feel that this quote is often misinterpreted. I always thought that I understood the quote and the meaning behind it. But when it was my turn to help someone who could never repay me, the quote meant so much more to me than ever before. I finally began to understand the meaning behind the quote. By being alive, they don't mean satisfaction or happiness, because anyone can be happy or satisfied by doing things that they enjoy. To actually do something for someone knowing that they can never repay you, and that you will never get back what you gave them, that's being alive. It's an absolutely remarkable feeling. The certain type of 'alive' that you feel is not an everyday feeling, its the feeling of purpose and your whole existence finally starts to make sense because for the first time in your life, you feel alive in your heart.

Got Ethics?

In the past few weeks, I have experienced such a lack of disrespect and a lack of common courtesy than I have ever seen before. I have stumbled upon many separate instances here in Dubai, where common courtesy appears to be a practice that is not used here.  Here are three examples of how revolting some people’s behaviour can be:

A: The gas stations here in Dubai are usually very crowded, (although the line does move quickly) there is usually a small waiting period and each gas pump has a few cars lined up. As I was patiently waiting in line to pump gas when a black car just decides to very casually come in front of my car and wait for his gas. I honked several times but that didn't seem the faze him. He got his gas before me and the person behind me and then drove off like it was not a big deal.

B: As I came back from work, I wanted to pick up food before I went home. The street where I was picking up the food is usually very crowded, and all the parking spots are usually taken. To my surprise a parking spot to my left was open! I was so excited, I put my right indicator on, waiting for the oncoming traffic to fade away and I would very smoothly park my car in the parallel parking spot. However, a red convertible from the ongoing traffic decided that it was okay for him to take that parking spot regardless f if anyone was waiting for it. After all, the person with their indicators on doesn't matter they can go and find another parking spot.

C: I went to get a bagel from Tim Hortons (yes-there is a Timmies here!), and the lady in front of me was short AED 1. The generous side of me kicked in and I told her, I have AED 1. I took it from my wallet and placed it on the table for the cashier to take. I didn’t get a smile, a thank you or any sort of gratitude from the lady – in fact it was the cashier who thanked me and offered to take AED 1 off of my order.

I have also noticed a rising lack of respect in companies were your employers feel they have the right to be disrespectful and you have to take it face value.
This is where I seem to have a lot of difficulty. I grew up in a family that strives on respect. Respect is something that everyone deserves and you have absolutely no right to be disrespectful to anyone.
Respect is a universal policy – all of us at some point or another were taught certain values, ethics and respect by our parents.
This status quo and hierarchical ideology simply does not work in today’s society. Respect is something that is earned, if you can’t respect me, there is absolutely no way that I can respect you – regardless of your hierarchical status.
This is a rule created in the fantasy world of egoistic people who feel the need to put you down.  Have no fear though, these people are likely insecure and intimidated by your success. Ten years from now, you will be huge and they will be a bunch of snobby nobodies!
The bottom line is if you want respect, you've got to earn it. In order to earn it, you must give it, plain and simple. Keep your chin up, shoulders broad and walk like you’re a boss.