Cats in Amsterdam are everywhere: café windowsills, shop counters, houseboat decks. This article is for you if you love cats and want more from the city than the standard attraction checklist. Today I’m focusing on cats only.
I’ll give you four places where the cats are the center point: three with real ones, one with painted ones. If cats leave you cold, this is not your article. Everyone else can visit all four in one relaxed day in Amsterdam.
Start With the Rijksmuseum’s Cat Art
Most people go to the Rijksmuseum for Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Van Gogh. And I am not saying you shouldn’t go for those reasons. But did you know the Rijksmuseum has many interesting cat artworks in its collection.
The museum collected its ten best cat works in an online story. Two favorites of mine: Henriëtte Ronner-Knip, a 19th-century painter who made playful cats her specialty, and a Fall of Man where a cat and an ape sit arm in arm while Adam and Eve pick the forbidden fruit. Save the story on your phone and find the works in the galleries.
My favorite, Cat at Play from Henriëtte Ronner (see image below) is not in the story, but you can see it in the museum in room 1.14.
I always recommend people to book the 9 a.m. slot (which is not easy to get, if you do get it, be there 8:40, because people line up) The first half hour is the calmest of the day, and I once spent a Christmas morning alone with four Vermeers. It’s quite an experience. So book a timed ticket ahead; an adult ticket is €27 (2026 price).
⤷ Get your Rijksmuseum entry ticket and more Rijksmuseum info →
Cat art at Rijksmuseum.
Spend the Afternoon at the Kattenkabinet
The Kattenkabinet is only open in the afternoon. It’s never too busy, so go when you have time. The five house cats enjoy their luxury live in a canal house on the Golden Bend, the priciest stretch of the Herengracht, and enjoy all the attention they get from visitors.
Bob Meijer founded the museum in memory of his red tabby, John Pierpont Morgan, and filled the lower floors with cat art: works after Rembrandt and Picasso, posters, sculpture, and a ballroom with a ceiling painting from 1670. My favorite thing: the cloakroom hands you a brass cat’s paw as your coat check tag. And keep an eye on the ballroom in the afternoon, the cats stretch out there in the sun.
Tickets are €12.50, kids under 12 enter free, and entry is included with the I amsterdam Card. If you plan to see more museums that day, check whether the card saves you money. Plan 45 to 60 minutes inside. My full Kattenkabinet guide covers tickets, discounts, and how to get there.
If you only have time for one stop on this list, this is the one I’d choose.
Skip the tourist traps.
See the real Netherlands.
Plan your trip step by step, with practical tips landing in your inbox right when you need them. Save time, and skip the mistakes.
Meet the Cats of De Poezenboot
Amsterdam has a cat sanctuary on a houseboat. De Poezenboot, the Catboat, sits on the Singel at number 38, a short walk from Central Station, and takes in strays and surrendered cats. Visiting is free; there’s a donation box on board, and the money goes straight to the cats.
But you need to plan this one: it’s open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. only, and six visitors fit inside at a time. I recommend standing at the gangway at 12:30 p.m., 30 minutes before they open. Arrive at 2:30 on a summer Saturday and you may not get in. And remember it’s a working shelter, not a petting zoo: let the cats come to you.
End at Kopjes, Amsterdam’s Cat Café
Kopjes is Amsterdam’s cat café, on Marco Polostraat in Amsterdam West, a short tram or bus ride from the city center. This is not a regular cafe though. I highly recommend you book a time slot, to make sure you can get in. Walk-ins are often out of luck. Also know you have to pay a €6 entrance fee (this is used for caring for the cats). But then after you ordered coffee and cake, you can share the room with the resident cats. It’s super fun and relaxing.
If you’re someone who is missing your own cat two days into you trip, this is where I would go.
A One-Day Route for Cats in Amsterdam
Pick a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday. The Poezenboot’s two-hour window pretty much decides your day, and everything else bends around it.
- 9 a.m.: Rijksmuseum with a timed ticket. Out by noon, cat story completed.
- Noon: lunch on the walk north along the canals toward Central Station.
- 1 p.m.: De Poezenboot, right when the gangway opens.
- 2 p.m.: walk about 25 minutes down the Singel and Herengracht to the Kattenkabinet. It’s open until 5 p.m.
- Late afternoon: tram to Kopjes if you want to end the day with coffee and a lap cat. And remember to reserve this one in advance.
It’s all about Cats at KattenKabinet (Cat Cabinet) in Amsterdam – © Hidden Holland
Frequently Asked Questions About Cats in Amsterdam
Are there a lot of cats in Amsterdam?
Yes. Dutch households love their cats, and in Amsterdam they sit in shop windows, brown cafés, and on houseboat decks. The four places in this article are where you can count on meeting them, in art or in real life.
Where can I pet cats in Amsterdam?
De Poezenboot and Kopjes are the two places where meeting cats is the point. At the Kattenkabinet, five cats live in the museum; if one approaches you, gentle petting is fine.
Is De Poezenboot free to visit?
Yes. Entry is free on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday between 1 and 3 p.m., with a maximum of six visitors inside at a time. Bring a donation; it is a working shelter, and they need to donations from visitors to care for the animals. It’s good karma.
Can I adopt a cat from De Poezenboot?
They do rehome their cats, but adoption is meant for people living in the Netherlands. If you are serious, talk to the volunteers on board or check their website first.
Does the Rijksmuseum have cat paintings?
Yes, scattered through the collection rather than in one room. The museum’s online cat story lists its ten best cat works; save it on your phone and find them in the galleries.
Do I need to book the Kattenkabinet in advance?
Booking ahead is not the stress point it is at the Rijksmuseum. You can buy a ticket online or at the door; my Kattenkabinet guide covers the options and discounts.
A Final Note From a Local Guide
If someone asks me whether a cat day in Amsterdam is worth building an itinerary around, my answer is yes if you’re a cat fan, on a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday, with the Rijksmuseum booked for 9 a.m. The rest of the day sorts itself out at a cat’s pace. It’s so much fun spending a day in the city from another perspective.
If this article helped you plan with more confidence, and you’d like to say thanks, you can always buy me a coffee. It’s never expected, but always appreciated.
