new animal rescue group offers kitten therapy to Newtown kids
Robin A.F. Olson has been quietly caring for stray and homeless cats at her home in Sandy Hook, CT for almost three years. But starting today, her nonprofit rescue, Kitten Associates, will open its doors to welcome children from the grieving Newtown community for private visits with its frolicking felines, so that they can shed the sadness around them and delight in the antics of a kitten at play.
In the aftermath of the shooting at the Sandy Hook school, the presence of nine golden retrievers from Chicago's K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs has been a welcome sight among mourners who have visited the makeshift shrines memorializing those who were lost. What Ms. Olson wants to do is to offer a more intimate, one-on-one calming experience in a homey setting in which the warmth and affection of gentle cats and kittens can bring smiles to young faces recently torn by tears and fear.
"We know the healing power that time spent petting a cat or watching kittens play with a toy can bring to a child, his or her parents, and even first responders and other adults who feel emotionally overwhelmed," explained Ms. Olson. "Because animals have no hidden agendas and kittens aren't threatening, it's a special kind of healing you just can't experience any other way."
Though perhaps not as visible as their canine counterparts, therapy cats have long been recognized for their power to bring peace and comfort to people of all ages, one at a time. According to leading feline behavior researcher Dr. Dennis Turner of the University of Zurich: "If an interaction between the cat and person begins, then the cat is able to tell whether a person is depressed or anxious and does react differently to the owner in a positive way. The cat will significantly rub the owner's legs more, will vocalize or call out to the person more often. They do react very strongly to the mood of the person."
In addition to the delight of playing with some adorable kittens, each child who visits Ms. Olson's foster felines will receive a keepsake "K.T. Cat," a soft, cuddly striped toy playmate that simulates the comfort and happy feelings derived from interactions with the real cats.
source is trying not to cry
(mods, could we get a kitty! tag for cat news please? thanks)
In the aftermath of the shooting at the Sandy Hook school, the presence of nine golden retrievers from Chicago's K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs has been a welcome sight among mourners who have visited the makeshift shrines memorializing those who were lost. What Ms. Olson wants to do is to offer a more intimate, one-on-one calming experience in a homey setting in which the warmth and affection of gentle cats and kittens can bring smiles to young faces recently torn by tears and fear.
"We know the healing power that time spent petting a cat or watching kittens play with a toy can bring to a child, his or her parents, and even first responders and other adults who feel emotionally overwhelmed," explained Ms. Olson. "Because animals have no hidden agendas and kittens aren't threatening, it's a special kind of healing you just can't experience any other way."
Though perhaps not as visible as their canine counterparts, therapy cats have long been recognized for their power to bring peace and comfort to people of all ages, one at a time. According to leading feline behavior researcher Dr. Dennis Turner of the University of Zurich: "If an interaction between the cat and person begins, then the cat is able to tell whether a person is depressed or anxious and does react differently to the owner in a positive way. The cat will significantly rub the owner's legs more, will vocalize or call out to the person more often. They do react very strongly to the mood of the person."
In addition to the delight of playing with some adorable kittens, each child who visits Ms. Olson's foster felines will receive a keepsake "K.T. Cat," a soft, cuddly striped toy playmate that simulates the comfort and happy feelings derived from interactions with the real cats.
source is trying not to cry
(mods, could we get a kitty! tag for cat news please? thanks)