Siu Lam-lam, the owner of Dundas Cafe, reflects on her journey of making her restaurant a foster house for stray cats.
By Whitney Kwok
Former restaurant owner Siu Lam-lam is now devoting all her time to care for her beloved furry friends, as she closed down her restaurant in Kowloon. In the past nine years, the restaurant used to be a happy hang-out spot for her customers and a safe haven for stray cats.
“My restaurant is more than just a dining place. It is a place of warmth, a place for gathering and gossiping, a place for people to share their happiness over cats, and most important of all, a place for needy cats,” Siu says with a smile.
After the closing of the restaurant, Siu takes a break from her 12-hour work schedule and spends time with her 30 cats at home.
Siu continues to help needy cats by keeping in contact with other stray cat feeders she knows.
“I told them to help me feed stray cats in the area where I used to feed them, and to feel free to find me if they need any supplies,” she says.
Three “cat managers” Eggplant, Cotton Candy and Milk Milk, have also retired from Dundas Cafe, a Hong Kong-style cafe in Mong Kok.
“The cat store managers will continue to stay with me, and receive training for the next job,” Siu says with a laugh, adding that she took care of 18 cats in total at the restaurant when at its peak.
Since 2016, Siu has helped at least 286 cats find a home, clearing most of the stray cats in the area around her restaurant. An average of about HK $7,000 (US $902.26) was spent every month on veterinary medical treatment, cat food and other expenses.
On March 7 2025, the restaurant owner announced on Facebook that she was going to close down the restaurant at the end of March due to economic downturns after nine years of operation.
At the time, there were still about 30 foster cats seeking adoption, and 19 of them were soon adopted, three weeks before its closure.
Siu conducted home visits before handing over her beloved cats to their new owners to make sure the cats would be well-taken care of, even during the preparation to wind down her restaurant.
“Having a secure safety net on all windows is a must, the regular mosquito net or a magnetic one is not enough, as cats can easily scratch them off,” she adds.
She also checks if potential adopters have prepared cat necessities, including cat food, litter and medicine, before handing her cats to them.
“Every adoption is like arranging a marriage for my daughters. I don’t arrange adaptation just for the sake of giving away the cat, instead I want to find a safe, loving and warm home for every one of them,” she says.
Siu requires pet owners to send her photos of the cats to make sure they are settled well.
“Seeing how cats changed from being skinny and sick, to becoming princes and princesses in their homes makes me realise that all my efforts and time spent are worthy. It brings me joy that money cannot buy,” the cat lover shares.
Siu keeps the rest of the cats herself because of their old age, adding that the remaining cats are 12 to 18 years old, equivalent to over 60 years old in human age.
“Old cats cannot adapt to new environments easily and might feel stressed about moving to new places,” she says, adding that cats can suffer from issues like inflammation.
Having recently moved into a new and bigger flat to accommodate her 30 cats in mid-March, Siu recalls her cat story that began in 2017.
When Siu dumped rubbish in a back alley after work, she saw skinny and sick stray cats digging for food in the trash.
“A pack of cat food did not cost much, so I started feeding them regularly after work ever since,” Siu recalls.
“More and more cats started to go to the spot where I first fed them. After a while, some cats allowed me to pet them, so I decided to take them in to stay in my restaurant and take them to vets for medical treatment, ” she adds.
The café was then known as the “affordable cat cafe” in the neighbourhood. While most cat cafes serve western dishes for over HK $100 (US $12.85) and charge an extra entrance fee of around HK $50 per hour (US $6.43), the Cha Chaan Teng provides a large range of Hong Kong-style food including dish rice for around HK $50 (US $6.43) and side dishes range from HK $70 to $100 (US $9 to $12.85).
“We lost some regular customers because they were concerned about hygiene. But many cat lovers started coming to my restaurant,” Siu recalls.
While Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Society for Abandoned Animals and other charity groups are active in handling stray cats, the number of abandoned animals continues to increase as owners surrender their pets due to various reasons such as pregnancy or newborn baby, immigration and housing issues according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
There are also reports about the abuse of stray animals. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, the maximum fine is HK$200,000 and carries a maximum imprisonment of three years if found guilty of cruelty.
“Some people might pour alcohol or put rat poison into food bowls for cats, so I usually stay for an extra hour after work. I return home at around 1 to 2 a.m.,” she recalls.
Her friends and customers also took the stray cats they found to the restaurant.
“My customers took cats from all 18 districts to me, as they trust me. Some are even from Mui Wo and Cheung Chau,” the former restaurant owner says.
Siu is concerned about whether it is ethical to keep store cats, as she has rescued at least 20 abandoned store cats in the past.
“I don’t understand why some store owners just abandon their store cats when they close down. They are loyal employees who work for free,” she says.
“Still, some store owners treat their cats as their children and keep them at home after closing their business,” she adds.
Siu reflects on her nine-year journey with mixed feelings.
“Many friends greet me as I go to work every day. I will definitely miss this neighbourhood after the closure of my restaurant,” she says.
“I hope that me and the cat shop managers can get back to a restaurant soon, so that we can sell food while rescuing cats and meeting new friends,” she adds.
“But now let me take a rest, relax and play with cats at home first before considering future plans,” she says.
Edited by Daniel Koong
Sub-edited by James Cheang
