Take an a-meow-zing tour inside Australia's first space cat cafe

The first question most people ask when they learn about Catmosphere Sydney, Australia's first space cat cafe, is: can I take my own cat along?

Short answer: No, you can't. Please leave your cat at home.

The second question is: what on Earth is a space cat cafe? Catmosphere proprietors Thomas Derricott and Wenee Yap told ninemsn Pickle the inspiration behind their a-meow-zing establishment ahead of its launch on July 24.

Watch the video above for a tour of what visitors can expect to see at the admirably crazy cafe. (Spoiler alert: contains cats. Lots of cats.)

There are 20 rescue felines who now recline permanently on Catmosphere's comfy couches and towers. Dubbed "catstronauts", each has a sci-fi-themed name such as "Tabba the Hutt" and "Mewbacca", and after human visitors are done relaxing with them they can enjoy coffee and cake beside Catmosphere's full-wall space cat mural.

Yes, the place is as bonkers as it sounds — but it's the logical next step in the evolution of the cat cafe. The concept (a cafe for humans, where cats happen to live) was invented in Taiwan in the late '90s then blossomed in Japan, spreading across the world in recent years. Australia's first cat cafe opened in Melbourne in 2014, and another is planned for Canberra.

Catmosphere Sydney is located at 66 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills (just up the road from Central Station, if you're coming via public transport). Book some feline time at catmospherecafe.com/Sydney or like Catmosphere on Facebook.