Kopi Luwak’s Rarer, Pricier Cousin: Cat Vomit Coffee

When coffee enthusiasts debate the world’s most expensive beans, most name either Jamaican Blue Mountain or kopi luwak. But few have heard of a far rarer—and costlier—variation: coffee that isn’t just eaten by a civet, but regurgitated. Yes, you read that right.

The answer is cat vomit coffee: a nearly unobtainable civet coffee where beans are consumed, then vomited back up. It costs roughly $1,200 per kilogram—about $200 more than standard kopi luwak—and global production is limited to just 10 kilograms a year.

What Is Cat Vomit Coffee?

Cat vomit coffee refers to coffee beans that have been eaten and subsequently vomited by the Asian palm civet, the same animal behind kopi luwak. Unlike kopi luwak, where beans pass through the civet’s digestive tract, this variant involves regurgitation. The result is an extremely scarce product with almost no commercial distribution.

How Rare—and Expensive—Is It?

Annual production of cat vomit coffee is estimated at just 10 kilograms worldwide. Its price sits at approximately $1,200 per kilogram, around $200 higher than typical kopi luwak. That puts it firmly in the ultra-premium category, far beyond even the most sought-after blue mountain beans.

What Makes It Different from Kopi Luwak?

While both coffees start with civets eating coffee cherries, kopi luwak beans are excreted normally. In contrast, cat vomit coffee beans are regurgitated. Visually, the beans’ husks appear very clean, and their raw color is nearly identical to kopi luwak. Yet the two processes lead to different outcomes—though no public tasting notes for cat vomit coffee currently exist.

Why Does This Happen?

Civets may regurgitate coffee beans for reasons not fully understood, but the outcome is an extraordinarily limited supply. The beans emerge with clean shells and similar raw coloration to their kopi luwak counterparts, though the regurgitation process is thought to influence taste development differently. However, no verified sensory descriptions or cupping data have been published for this coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cat vomit coffee?

Cat vomit coffee is a rare form of civet coffee where beans are eaten by an Asian palm civet and then vomited back up. It is not the same as kopi luwak, which involves normal digestion and excretion.

How much does cat vomit coffee cost?

Cat vomit coffee costs around $1,200 per kilogram, approximately $200 more than standard kopi luwak.

How is cat vomit coffee different from kopi luwak?

Kopi luwak beans pass through the civet’s digestive system and are excreted, while cat vomit coffee beans are regurgitated. The two processes result in different bean conditions, though both start with the civet consuming coffee cherries.

How rare is cat vomit coffee?

Production of cat vomit coffee is extremely limited, with an estimated global output of just 10 kilograms per year, making it much rarer than kopi luwak.

What does cat vomit coffee look like?

The beans have very clean husks and an unroasted color that is nearly indistinguishable from kopi luwak, though the processing method differs.

Has anyone tasted cat vomit coffee?

There are no publicly available tasting notes or confirmed reports of anyone having brewed or tasted cat vomit coffee.

FrontStreet Civet-Adjacent Specialty Beans

Though cat vomit coffee is nearly impossible to find, FrontStreet Coffee offers several single-origin beans with complex profiles that intrigue the same adventurous palates. Try the Kenya Little Tomato for vibrant acidity and sweet tomato-like brightness; the Ethiopia Humbera delivers floral and citrus layers with juicy sweetness; and the Panama Humbera showcases wild fermentation notes with heavy fruit depth. All are ethically sourced and ideal for exploring unique processing methods without the controversy. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.