Wentworth Point: Cat cafe, animal boarding facility planned for Marina Square shopping centre

There’s barely any room to swing a cat in Australia’s most crowded suburb, but a proposal for a boutique feline cafe and animal boarding facility in Sydney’s west could be purrfect for some. See what’s planned.

Cat House & Co cafe is planned for Marina Square shopping centre at Wentworth Point.

It’s Australia’s most crowded suburb bereft of a park and public transport, but it could soon have ample accommodation for felines if a boutique animal boarding facility and cat cafe is approved.

A development application lodged with Parramatta Council would be the purrfect place to have a cat nap for owners’ four-legged friends if the boarding facility at Marina Square shopping centre at 5 Footbridge Blvd is approved.

The Cat House & Co Cafe plans new partitioned walls to accommodate 30 “rooms”, a wash bay, along with reception and product display areas.

Council planning documents state the cafe supports animal welfare.

“It envisions to provide professional pet care services via providing a safe and relaxing environment for cats as well as a reliable and affordable options for the owners,’’ documents state.

There’s plenty of privacy for the ‘boarders’ which should avoid cat fights.

The cafe would open Monday to Sunday from 11am to 9pm while the boarding services would run 24 hours.

While there will be snacks at the cafe, proud pet owners can’t exactly get their caffeine fix or have a feast with their felines – there will be no cooked food or “making coffee for human consumption within the premise”.

“They will offer ready-made light snacks and/or drinks (bottled),’’ council planning documents said.

How the shopfront could look at Marina Square.

So what else happens when the cats get dragged into their new pad?

Each boarder must have at least two vaccinations, worming and recent vet health check done to be accepted for accommodation.

“All boarding cats will be provided three meals a day and every boarding unit (including litter box, cat bed and toys) will be cleaned and sanitised daily,’’ the plans state.

“All cats will be kept separately in their own enclosed boarding units (unless cats are from the same household) and will be allowed to come out and play in the common area one by one while the staff cleans the boarding units.’’

A common area is part of the plush digs.

The facility could come to fruition much sooner than other projects the Wentworth Point community has lobbied for more than a decade.

In May the government finally announced it would open the suburb’s first designated green space, Peninsula Par, by mid-2026.

But, Wentworth Point High School will share it and it will only open on weekends, and before and after school.

Community groups have also criticised Landcom – the state government-owned property organisation – for its plans to build a 406-apartment complex overlooking the river at Wentworth Point because it will shrink the size of the park by almost a hectare.

Thousands of residents also bought homes in the suburb believing it would have more public transport such as the second stage of the Parramatta light rail.

The $3.9bn project was only confirmed this year and is slated to open in 2032.