Always on
This project successfully funded on 25th June 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Save Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
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Aim: To save Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium from closure by reaching our fundraising target by 23rd June.
Hey there! My name is Freyja, I’ve been the Cafe Manager at Lady Dinah’s for 6 years and a fan since it opened.
After falling into uncontrollable debt lingering from the impact of COVID, rising costs, and a restructure that came too late Lauren has had to make the incredibly hard decision to close the café. I fully understand her reasons. But I truly believe Lady Dinah’s is a rare and magical place that people still need in this world.
That’s why I’m stepping in with a plan to buy the assets of the business, not the company or its debts, and carry on trading under my own vision, while keeping the Lady Dinah’s legacy alive.
I know people are asking how we’ll avoid the same fate. With a fresh start, a smaller operation, and new leadership, I believe we can build a more sustainable future. The funds raised will go directly towards buying the café’s assets and setting up a leaner, more resilient version of Lady Dinah’s, one that honours what people have always loved about it while adapting for the future.
More about Lady Dinah’s!
Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium has been saving rescue cats for the last 11 years. We don’t work with a charity or a shelter and do all our rescue and adoption work ourselves! We have successfully rehomed over 100 cats!
Lady Dinah’s has been a safe haven for so many unwanted cats! The cats live in the cafe for as long as they’re happy - we let that decision be theirs - and then we rehome them to their forever home. We have a designated cat care team, people with animal care backgrounds and knowledge, to look after the cats full time, monitor them, care for them and provide them with specific treatments they might need. As we don’t rely on a shelter to assist us with rehoming, we do house checks, adoption applications and all our adoptions ourselves!
Is the cafe ethical?
We have a set of rules in place that all visitors are asked to follow—these help us keep the café a safe and comfortable space for our cats. Guests aren’t allowed to pick the cats up, disturb them while they’re sleeping, grooming, or eating, or feed them any human food. Flash photography is also not allowed, as it can be stressful for the cats.
We also have an age policy of 12 and over. Since all our cats are rescues with different backgrounds, triggers, and past experiences, this policy—along with all our other rules—is in place to protect their wellbeing and make sure they always feel safe and respected.
To help with that, our cat care team is on-site at all times. They’re here to monitor both the cats and the guests, making sure everyone is comfortable, happy, and behaving in a way that supports a peaceful environment.
The café itself is designed with the cats’ needs in mind, with lots of scratching posts, cat trees, wall furniture, and toys to provide daily enrichment and stimulation.
And most importantly, all of the cats here will eventually be adopted into loving forever homes. We never keep cats with us if they seem unhappy—our mission has always been, and always will be, to rescue, care for, and rehome.
Who visits the cafe?
Lady Dinah’s has been the backdrop for all kinds of special occasions—birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, and just about every celebration in between. But at its core, it’s always been a place for animal lovers.
People who adore cats but can’t have one at home, those travelling and missing their pets, those curious about spending time with cats for the first time, or even those simply trying to find out if they’re allergic—everyone finds a place here.
Lady Dinah’s welcomes anyone with a love for animals, creating a warm and inclusive space where people and cats can connect in a calm, comforting environment.
Why should the cafe continue trading?
As many of you might know - a lot of shelters around the UK are full. Lady Dinah’s is a place where unwanted or stray cats can find a temporary home, filled with care, enrichment and love - where their individual personalities are nurtured and respected. Every cat that comes through our doors is part of a greater mission: to heal, grow, and eventually find a forever home that’s just right for them.
In the meantime, cat lovers from all over the world can come visit, spend time with the cats, and be part of their story. It’s a special place where cats can feel loved again—and where people can make a real difference just by stopping by.