Coffee and a cuddle with Piglet in this cafe

Life can be hard – but wouldn't it be easy if you could just drink a coffee and cuddle with a pig? His café makes it possible!

Life has its difficult moments and sometimes you just need a complete escape. According to the data, 37 percent of respondents in the US said they would be more anxious in 2023 than the year before. That's a decrease from 2020, when 62 percent reported being more anxious than in 2019. Sometimes all you need at this cafe is a quick coffee and a cuddle with a piglet. What started as a rough idea has turned into an opportunity for people to have a great time. And to relax and smile.

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Cuddling with a dog, cat or even a piglet leads to the release of the feel-good hormone oxytocin. The hormone is associated with feelings of trust and empathy and can contribute to a strong human-animal bond. Both animals and humans benefit from the interaction.

Piglets are very popular, especially with celebrities who adopt them as pets. In fact, they're a growing niche when it comes to bringing home the sweeties. But in Japan, piglets were viewed in a different light, so this group decided to offer something new. In 2019, they decided to embark on a journey to bring pig cuddling to the public.

“We want Japanese people to feel more familiar with the animal and eventually become a beloved family member,” shares the founder. The idea for the cafe started as a Camp Fire proposal, a crowdfunding site similar to Kickstarter, that raised more than twice as much money as the original asking price.

Since their first café, they have opened 9 additional MiPig Café locations. People love it and it is growing similar to kitty cafes in North America. Japan is one of the leading countries when it comes to animal cafes. There are places where you can have a coffee surrounded by owls, dogs, hedgehogs and stuffed animals.

Although they have a few different names (micro pigs, miniature pigs, teacup pigs), they are not actually miniature pigs, but rather different bread pigs. Most are simply pot-bellied pigs, which are naturally smaller than domestic pigs. The latter can weigh several hundred kilos. However, micro pigs usually weigh around 30 kilos when young

Studies have shown that pigs can outwit dogs and even chimpanzees. They have been observed completing mazes and recognizing symbols, and have excellent long-term memory.

They are also sensitive animals that learn from each other and lead complex social lives. Some studies show that they fight with each other in a similar way to dogs. So why not try?