Hello, Kitty

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Visiting Hong Kong and missing your furry friends back home? No matter, check out one of the city's "pet cafés," where dogs and cats can roam freely as you sip your latte.

Cat Store With its retro 1970s décor, designer merchandise and underground-music nights, Cat Store, tel: (852) 2710 9953, is as much a fashionista hangout as it is a haven for pet lovers. The original population of two cats has now swelled to about 15; many customers also bring their own animals, from dogs to chinchillas. And the venue's signature dish? Meow Toast, where chocolate sauce is used to form the face of a feline.

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Ben's Gallery This café-cum-hair salon, tel: (852) 2895 0768, allows you to get a shampoo, cut and coffee while enjoying the company of its four adopted dogs—Odi the cocker spaniel, Yeslie the Afghan, Tong Tong the schnauzer and Jasper the mini German shepherd. While the grooming on offer is of the human variety, owner and dog lover Ben will also provide canine styling tips if you ask. In addition, all cakes on the premises are homemade and seasonal, from mango and strawberry in the summer to pumpkin pies in the fall.

Pet's Home This relatively new venue, tel: (852) 2891 0031, is a meeting place for lovers of all kinds of dogs. There are four freely roaming resident pooches. Often, customers bring their own, and regulars in need of dog-sitting for a day may drop off their pets, too: the result is cheerful cacophony. A menu of beverages, salads and sandwiches is available for humans.