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.