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Two routes, at least 50 cats, and an entire weekend built around them. It's mew-sic to cat-loving ears. Last year, 300 people chose to spend their Sunday walking around Brighton looking at other people's cats. Needless to say, it was a huge success. Brighton Cat Tour was dreamt up by cat enthusiast Stefan after he spotted a video of a similar event in Toronto, where around 100 people marched through the streets greeting neighbourhood cats. He decided Brighton was the obvious place to bring the idea across the Atlantic, creating what he says was Europe’s first Cat Tour. The premise was wonderfully simple: local owners volunteered their cats, then ticket holders followed a route around the city spotting the furry residents waiting on windowsills, porches and in front gardens. Around 300 cat lovers turned up, BBC News came along for the ride and the event raised a whopping £1,500 for City Cat Shelter. For 2026, Stefan has gone considerably bigger. There are now TWO cat tours The main event returns on Sunday 18th October, with two different routes running simultaneously and at least 25 (friendly?) felines signed up to appear on each. That's a minimum of 50 cats, for anyone already doing the important maths. The roughly 3km routes will take walkers through different parts of Brighton, with staggered groups setting off from 10.15am and finishing at around 1pm. One heads into hillier Hanover territory, while the North Laine route is the more wheelchair-accessible option. Exactly where the tours begin is being kept under wraps until you've booked, presumably to protect Brighton's feline celebrities from being mobbed before their scheduled appearance. And yes, the cats are very much in charge. Owners decide whether their pets can be fed or interacted with, visitors can't bring their own cat treats and appearances may be cut short if any of the stars decide they've had quite enough of this fame business. Tickets cost £11.55, with money once again being raised for City Cat Shelter. The first two tours have sold out, but happily Stefan has checked with the cats' and they've agreed to some more viewers. That means 100 more tickets will be released on Wednesday 14th October at 6pm. Don't be late! Cat Tour has become Cat Weekend Walking several kilometres to look at other people's pets clearly isn't enough cat time, because this year the tour has grown into an entire three-day feline programme. Things kick off on Friday 16th October with Cat Yoga at Purrfect Space Brighton from 7.45pm (£22.38), followed by the Feline Groovy art exhibition and social at 165 Kings Road Arches (£5.04). Saturday 17th October has another Cat Yoga session, then a cat-themed Art Day at The Hope & Ruin from midday (free), with workshops, tarot readings, face painting, local artists, performances and even cat celebrities. Later, Dukes at Komedia is handing over the big screen to two appropriately chosen films for a Cat Cinema Evening: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Aristocats. Tickets are £10.46 for one film or £16.96 for both. And once Sunday's actual Cat Tour has finished, anyone whose appetite for feline content is still not quite satisfied can head to The Hope & Ruin for a cat-themed 'purrrb' quiz from 5.30pm (£6). There was originally going to be a cat club night too, but Stefan decided he didn't have enough time to organise it properly. That's now pencilled in for 2027, because the Brighton Cat Tour has now cemented itself as a proper annual event with room to grow. For now, we'd say two walking tours, 50-plus cats, yoga, art, cinema and a pub quiz is a respectable amount of cat for one weekend. Friday 16th – Sunday 18th October, 2026Book tickets

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