Cat's Café

Cat's Café #1

by Gwen Tarpley

Serving up more than just coffee and tea, Cat’s Café provides its cast of adorable characters a gentle, supportive space and a hefty serving of the warm and floofies.

Welcome to Cat’s Café, a neighborhood coffee shop where all are welcome! Based on the popular webcomic, Cat’s Café introduces readers to the adorable denizens of this world. There's Penguin, who has a bit of a coffee problem; Rabbit, whose anxiety sometimes overwhelms him; Axolotl, whose confidence inspires his friends; the always-supportive Cat, who provides hot drinks made with love and a supportive ear for anyone's troubles; and many, many more. With a sensitive take on real issues and a gentle, positive outlook, Cat’s Café is about the power of acceptance, friendship, and love ... and delicious cups of coffee.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Mental Health, Cats

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2020

About the author

Gwen Tarpley is a graphic artist and the creator of the popular webcomic Cat's Cafe. The series has been celebrated for its sensitive exploration of mental-health issues. Gwen uses Cat's Cafe to translate complex emotions into small cups of joy.

Reviews

[abigailscupoftea · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so uplifting, gentle, and creative. it gave me the same warm/comforted feeling as animal crossing! ⛺️🐱☕️🐰🌱💕☁️✨

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into Cat's Cafe not expecting anything but a cutesy little comic book about some animals and coffee, yet what I got was so much more. These comics tackle mental health, pain, and healing so beautifully. Not every panel is cheerful and sweet; some of these characters have clearly undergone some real traumas and their healing process, much like in real life, isn't always pretty or easy. The heaviness of the mental health commentary is broken up with levity through generally sweet, cutesy "friendship" storylines and hilarious strips about Penguin's unhealthy obsession with coffee (relatable), so it's a nice mix and honestly one of my favorite comic collections I've read this year!

✨ Content warnings for: mental illness, insecurity, self-isolation, loneliness

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[Boston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect pick-me-up read for me. Wholesomeness dripped from every page and I found myself smiling or giggling at some of the characters (Penguin is my favorite, naturally). Super cute and a great light-hearted read.

*I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review

[♛ Garima ♛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh, the warm fuzzy feeling...



At first, I thought it is a bunch of cute, cuddly, kind of silly cartoons





But sometimes it digs a little deeper and I would start doing self-association



and chocking with emotion



Again, warm fuzzy feeling with cute characters

[Emma☀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!
So so pure and wholesome! I’ve been a fan of the webcomic for quite some time now and when I saw there is going to be a physical copy available, I rejoiced.

Cat’s Cafe is such a feel-good comic that will put a smile on your face when you’re feeling down. I loved following the adventures of all the animals, especially how Cat interacts with all their friends. The comic also touches on serious topics such as anxiety and insecurity, and I found that very well-handled.

I loved this comic and will definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a pick-me-up!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cutesy pap about sickeningly sweet little animals frequenting a coffee shop and having all the feels about themselves and each other while sharing positivity and affirmations to a cult-like degree.

Ew.

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of the popular web comic where the Cat's Cafe is a safe space with sweet affirmations. I had never read any of the comics before reading this compilation. Definitely not uproariously funny, but plenty of the cartoons have positive messages presented in a colorful way with a cast of regular characters (cats, dinosaur and penguin among others) who inhabit (visit) the cafe. I imagine this would be well used with elementary school children to discuss the messages. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[itselv:#&309;]

كتاب ظريف جدًا جدًا. يحكي عن مقهى يديره قط ومساعده الأرنب، ومواقف مع الزبائن المختلفين والمتنوعين، منها الطريف ومنها ما يناقش أمور جدية لكن بشكل خفيف ماتع عامة. الشخصيات منوعة ولطيفة، مفضلي منهم هو البطريق المدمن على القهوة والأرنب المرتعب دومًا، لأنني أجد نفسي فيهما D: سيكون هذا الكتاب الرفيق الأفضل لي في الأيام الحزينة.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, delightful, heart-warming collection of the beloved webcomics introducing everyone to a warm and fuzzy cast of animals dealing with life in a variety of ways. Some of these are stunningly powerful, while others are just funny.

I dug the kiwi rhymes and the whale's perception of the world in particular.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Corey Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun collection of comics, that mostly take place in a cafe full of different types of characters. My favorite character of all was the penguin (He’s so cute)

The author manages to talk about mental health issues in a sensitive, relatable, and fun way. Which I really liked.

I recommend.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend for All Ages

Possible Triggers: Mental Health difficulties submitted as individual scenarios by the CC community

Charming & Sweet with an amazing message of acceptance and camaraderie centered around coffee & the wonderful little getaway retreat which serves it, Cat's Cafe. The mental struggles of the inhabitants are presented in a straightforward manner with emphasis on positivism. Also, the illustrations are adorable & relatable. Highly recommend if you're feeling down, if negative thoughts are shouting or if you just want to smile.

[Madara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Matt Tarpley on Instagram (@catccafecomics) for about a month now and his work has kept me sane during the lockdown.
Cat's Cafe: A Comics Collection is a series of really sweet and wholesome comics. Here we have a penguin who has a coffee problem, anxious rabbit, supportive cat and so many more! Even if the comics may seem a bit silly at first, they are really relatable and sweet. We all have a friend that has to have 5 cups of coffee just to function, we all have a friend that's supportive no matter what. We all feel anxious sometimes and these comics are a great reminder to breathe and have a laugh from time to time.

Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review! All images are taken from the Arc.

CW's: Anxiety, Depression

Representation 🌷 Characters with anxiety & depression

💗 Read this Review on my Blog 💗



I didn't think that I would be crying over cute animal comics, yet here we are 😭 I picked up Cat's Café because I was in the mood for a nice comic to read in one sitting but I hadn't anticipated how much I would end up loving it! I fell head over heels in love with the story and quickly got deeply emotionally attached to the journey of all the animals 🥰 I hadn't even known that this was originally a webcomic, so I went into the story completely blind and was surprised that I loved it so much - so now I'll definitely keep an eye on the webcomic for sure. Please someone take me out of this reality and into the magical Cat Café!! 🐱

The story centers around the Cat's Café, set in an animal town, and follows the resident's everyday adventures! ➽ The whole setup was amazing as I quickly fell in love with the Café led by Cat (all animals are called by their species name) and how it was a safe space for all the other animals living in the town and a way for them to connect with each other. The sense of community and friendship was warming my heart, as everyone is trying to help each other out and there for support if needed. Reading the book made me want to travel to the Café myself to enjoy a hot cup of coffee with Cat and her friends 😥 The setting just feels so cozy and combines two of my favorite things ever: coffee and cute animals.

I loved all the characters so much ➽ As the collection goes on we get to know several animals that frequent the coffee shop and what their daily life looks like. I loved getting these little slice of life moments, as the comic itself doesn't have a big overarching storyline. However, the animals have their own emotional, personal journeys so I didn't mind that there wasn't a big plotline. I was content to follow the animals from day to day and apart from that, we did get some themes, like different seasons. I loved Cat the most, as they always tried to make everyone comfortable and poured their heart and soul into making the coffee shop a meeting space for all the fellow animals. I also really related to Rabbit, as they were very anxious and overwhelmed with a new situation yet bravely took on the job as a new barista. There were so many more amazing animal characters like the coffee addicted Penguin, the insecure Snake who dreams of becoming more and Owl who loves knowledge. I began to care greatly for all of them, especially as there was a big emphasis on friendship and making sure no one felt alone! 💕

I loved the wholesome and positive messages about mental health and self-care! ➽ The general story tone was amazing, it was part funny and witty, part positive and encouraging, and also part sad but honest. I loved how the story talked about what living with anxiety and depression felt like and how it can be difficult to accept help even though your friends are there to support you. I especially related to the worry and existential dread that Rabbit went through. I loved how the creator included mental health representation in this wholesome comic. There was so much focus on believing in yourself and taking care of your mind and body, even though it sometimes can be hard. All the messages felt so genuine and came across as encouraging and honest 😭💗

Some positive messages from the book 🌸💗


IN CONCLUSION.Cat's Café is an incredibly wholesome and positive comic collection set at a lovely café in an animal town following the adventures of the residents. I loved how it touched upon friendship, mental health, and believing in yourself - all the messages felt genuine and therefore had a big impact on me! If you need a comforting read definitely check out this comic 😍

You can find me here 💖 Book Blog | Twitter | Be my friend on GR!

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

This adorable little collection of comics was just what I needed to get me through the COVID-19 isolation. With the solitude weighing in, I found the bright colors and friendly and supportive animals felt just right.

While some of the comics are very light, joking about coffee addiction and the stories in the Café from the title, many were also deeper, touching on important topics like mental health and solitude, which, once again, felt very timely. Lastly, the Kiwi reminded me of Woodstock.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Karen (thefictioncorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat’s Cafe is heartwarming and so so cute. At first, I thought this was just a cutesy feel-good type of book, but if you look closer, you can definitely start to see yourself in some of the animals and everything starts to have a deeper meaning. I personally related to the rabbit lol because of how anxious it was to do everything correctly while trying to be social. I loved all of the different characters and their personalities. Personally, my favorite was penguin and its love for coffee haha.

I received a copy from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anoja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet little book and made me really happy

[*JEN the booknerd* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much more than I expected. I thought it was just a cute graphic novel about animals and coffee. It was, but each of these animals had their own struggles or trauma and mental illness. It was very heartwarming and also sad but relatable too. It's also a book about a great support system, and I am here for it. All the stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Lexxi Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read some books recently that had some reviews that mentioned how the reader had read the book free through Hoopla. So, maybe a month later, I finally signed up. It's a service hooked up to "your" library so you can hear (audiobooks), see (tv programs, movies), and/or read (ebooks) for free. This book here is both the first work I've read by this author, and the first book I've tried through this service. I'm quite happy I tried Hoopla.

This book here is the first collection of strips from a webcomic. A webcomic and author I had not encountered before today. About a subject, well a location, I want nothing to do with. A coffee shop. So it was really unlikely I'd have tried this book but for Hoopla. Well, there are fluffy animals in the strips, so I still might have. But unlikely. I barely tired it now even though it was free.

This is a comic strip book, as opposed to a graphic novel or the like. A comic strip book about a coffee shop and the people who encounter each other, and coffee, at said shop. The shop is owned by an individual named Cat, who is a cat. The series characters follow this naming logic throughout the book.

There's humor, but I liked the work more for the messages involved.

Rating: 5+
Feb 21 2023

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Cat's Cafe since my barista friend introduced me to Tarpley's instagram a few months ago.  After having seen his adorable, uplifting, and hilarious 4-8 panel comics, I knew I had to download this from NetGalley!  And what a great decision it was, because Tarpley's comics are just adorable.  From Cat's Cafe's beginning to the friendships all the characters have made, this comic collection makes for both a creative and sweet outlook on what it means to not only be a barista, but to be a part of a community.

Love love love!  

Review cross-listed here!

[Radwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so wholesome and cute, and I kept smiling throughout reading it.

It's a reassuring book for anxiety and depression and feeling you're alone or not good enough, despite it's cutesy style, it helps make them all go away. Through the cat cafe owned by Cat and the help of Rabbit, they meet different animals, each one of them deals with a different type of anxiety and we see how they deal with it in these interconnected comic strips.

I'm thankful for netgalley for the digital arc, and I'd definitely read it again if I needed a pick-me-up!

[Khansaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING: This book contains all the hugs needed when you are feeling blue a.k.a it's so cute and will warm your heart! Cat's Cafe consists of short comics with simple stories that will make you say "aaaww 🥺". I feel like buying the paperback format and hugs the characters to sleep ❤️

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH WHOLESOME CONTENT

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just really cute! It dealt with important issues like mental health but in just the sweetest way. I really liked the art style as well.

Reread: I enjoyed it just as much.

[Sherri Silvera · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was gifted this for Christmas because I enjoy the relatable comics of Sarah Andersen and Nathan W. Pyle, and wholesome cartoons like Bob's Burgers and Adventure Time.

The drawings were cute, as was the core idea/intention (which is why I'm rounding up to two stars), but it really wasn't for me. Cat's Café is incredibly saccharine and the storylines (if they can even be called that) are rather pointless and not very inventive—maybe an elementary-school-aged child would enjoy it, and these would be well-suited as jumping-off points to discuss some important messages about acceptance, but for an adult? Eh. A teenager would more than likely scoff at them.

The premise is a cat who runs a coffee shop as a safe community space for other animals—there's an anxious rabbit prone to panic attacks, a coffee-addicted penguin, an insecure gator with low self-esteem, a deaf fox, a bear with seasonal depression... and the barista cat provides a supportive ear and drinks for everyone.

Maybe I'm the wrong audience for this, but these didn't give me the "warm and floofies". It's entirely too cutesy and full of ultimately laughable affirmations for my taste; when there was meant to be an incorporated joke, it didn't land, and I didn't find anything memorable collected here. Overall I felt like it was trying way too hard to be wholesome and inclusive, in an unbearably twee way.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful, wonderful comic this is! Cat's Café isn't just super cute, it's also wise and inspiring.
I'd say that this is close to the perfect how-to-guide for self-acceptance for both children and adults alike. Adorable drawings, fun and clever "plots" for each of the comic strips. Just lovely and brilliant!

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comics AND cats. It's like this book was made for me! There isn't much more that gets me this excited and feeling like a child again!

This adorable comic collection by Matt Tarpley is lovely! It's the type of book you sit down with a cup of tea and a blanket and just feel good with. The illustrations are simplistic, but it only adds to the fun and nostalgia of this book. It gave me childhood cartoon vibes (but easily enjoyable by an adult audience)! The stories are sweet, short and highly amusing, leaving me giggling along the way. Honestly, it's the kind of positivity the world needs right now: funny cats.

Overall, this book is so lovely! It's silly, goofy, cute and fantastic. It's easy and quick to read, and will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrew McNeels Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Hope Genty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series of webcomics is a heartwarming take on our dependencies on coffee and how we can support each other going through our mental health struggles. The art is adorable, which adds to the heartwarming nature of the book. Each page acts as a single page comic panel, but throughout the book, there are connecting storylines with some characters. Some panels ask you to examine your own mental health as well. There is a recurring cast of animals, most of which ends up having a few panels specifically on them. Overall, this book is really cute and something that I may read once or gift to a friend.

[Ruby Rae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley & Andrews McMeel Publishing for granting me with an eARC copy!

Oh my golly gosh this book was SO adorable!! The art style was wonderful, I wanted to hug all the animals, they're the freaking cutest. I loved how it was funny and relatable it was but also taught to teach some valuable life lessons and give advice. I loved how it dealt with mental illness and the structure. I loved all the coffee and the cafe element. Ughhh just so great and I'm very glad I read this one. Definitely a graphic novel you won't want to miss!

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5. Another web comic cartoon style. «Funny» in a very light way, the kinds of thing at which I will smile while reading it on the Internet, but buying and reading an entire book of it... well that's another thing. Not much for me!