| Landon and Therapy Cat, Huck Finn Photo by Cathy Cheney/Portland Business Journal |
Cynthia: Who says cats and kids are a bad combination?
Marcy: That’s a terrible myth propagated by cat haters and psycho helicopter parents. And maybe possibly an isolated incident here and there.
Cynthia: Ugh. Don’t get me started on irresponsible human behavior.
Marcy: I won’t ’cause you’ll go on about it forever.
Cynthia: Anyway, the above photo is from a news story I found on the wonderful website, Love Meow. That’s a therapy cat named Huck Finn who visits ill kids at Doerenbecher Childrens Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
| Therapy Cat, Huck Finn with patient Photo by Cathy Cheney/Portland Business Journal |
Cynthia: Look at that smile. I mean, how could you not feel better after petting a cute fuzzy kitty?
Marcy: Well, it has been scientifically proven that cat purrs are healing. Scientists say so. We blogged about it here.
Cynthia: And then, there is this fantastic program at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania where kids practice their reading to the shelter cats. It’s called Book Buddies.
| Colby and Kitty Photo by Animal Rescue League of Berks County |
Cynthia: The benefit here is twofold. The cats get some highly enjoyable people time and the kids get to practice their reading skills on an adoring audience.
Marcy: You’re wrong. It’s threefold.
Cynthia: How so?
Marcy: These kids families may adopt a cat or two. They’ll feel love and compassion for society’s downtrodden and abandoned. They’ll learn why spay/neuter is so important.
Cynthia: That’s fivefold. Wow Marcy, you are really surprising me here. I’ve never heard so much kindness coming from you.
Marcy looks startled and alarmed.
Marcy: Really? Uh oh.
Marcy desperately looks around for something to terrorize.
Cynthia: It’s okay. I like Friendly Marcy.
Marcy: I don’t.
Marcy ferociously attacks Cynthia’s toes.
Cynthia: Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. OW. Marcy!
Marcy: Sorry. I thought they were very small mice mocking me.
14 Comments
Oh wow! I've only ever seen dogs doing these sorts of things. It's nice to know cats can be so giving. I thought they were all like Marcy pre-this-blog-post! 😉
It seems that the brown and orange tabbies – like the ones above are the most doglike of all cats. We also have a brown tabby named Hamlet who would be perfect for this kind of work. He even flops sideways in front of you to have his belly rubbed. It's incredible.
xo,cynthia
That is so touching it brought a tear to my eye then the tear turned to shock while reading Marcy's compassionate comments. Then the shock turned to laughter when she mistook your toes for mice. This blog has been an emotional roller coaster ride.
Thank you! I hope a roller coaster ride is a good thing?
xo,cynthia
I knew Marcy had a sweet side! What a nice idea for both cats and patients. I love the library idea too. Our local library has the reading program at times but there always seems to be a scheduling conflict, so we have yet to do it.
Have a nice evening,
Stacey
Hi Stacey!
Maybe bring the book program to the shelter! The kitties sure would love it!
xo,cynthia
That is so heartwarming. Of course cats can be just as therapeutic as dogs. Those pictures are so sweet. It makes sense that the kids would love the sweet purring kitties.
My sister has two cats and those cats are so good with her toddler. Cats have so much more patience than people realize.
I am glad Marcy was so warmed by the pictures, too. Thank you for sharing those sweet pictures.
Jenni
I just want to cry every time I look at the photos. Even Marcy was moved.
xo,cynthia
awww…i wish i had a therapy cat…one of my cats would need a therapy cat if i dropped her off in a hospital…lol…and then the orderlies would need therapy kitties after they chased my cat all over the hospital to catch her..i can see it now… 🙂
LOL…"very small mice mocking her"…you guys r hilarious! 🙂
Thanks, Merrie!
Marcy would be the same way. We'd all need therapy! lol
xo,cynthia
Ok, I just spent 30 mins on Love Meow…like I needed another alternative to zoo babies and you tube…now I'll never get anything done! Did you see the one about the KitTea house they are opening in SFO? It's like the cat coffee houses they have in japan, but here! And, her goal is to use rescue kitties and people can adopt them from there! She's trying to raise the remaining 13K in 23 days…I think I'm gonna donate. Unfortuantely, I can't do the $5000 which would get me a cat tea party for 20 of my friends, but my birthday is coming up…so maybe one of my super awesome friends will get it for me!
Love Meow is always so inspiring. I need to put them on my blogroll. I had heard about the cat cafe in SFO but I did not realize that they needed money. I wonder if they'll get it. A cat tea party sounds divine. Happy early Birthday. Hope you are moved in by then!
xo,cynthia
This is such a lovely initiative. My grandmother's nursing home had several cats living there, and it really helped the residents to be able to pet and cuddle them. Also, Huck Finn is a fantastic name for a cat.
Oh that is so wonderful to have cats at a nursing home! All nursing homes should have cats. Well… in my opinion cats should also be in work places and schools and everywhere! lol
I also love the Huck Finn for a cat. Too cute!
xo,cynthia