A week before Thanksgiving, 6-year-old Callie Grace Faucette and 7-year-old Scott Thomas Boone sat cross-legged on the floor of the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society’s adoption room, reading books aloud as cats nuzzled into their laps and pawed at the pages.
In the corner of the room, a stack of about 50 books geared toward young readers sits next to a basket of cat toys and treats, with titles ranging from educational books about caring for cats to fun stories featuring feline characters like Pete the Cat.
The scene was part of the shelter’s new kitty reading program, where children can practice reading aloud to shelter cats to build literacy skills while also helping to socialize cats and kittens in need of adoption.
“It tugs at your heartstrings seeing a kid try to read a book and the cat is just kind of meowing back at him,” LCHS Shelter Manager Kim Hays told The Dispatch. “It’s sweet, and a lot of the books are cat-related, so it’s teaching them what to do and what not to do, how to care for cats and kittens and what they would need. It’s been a really cool little program.”
Since launching in mid November, Hays said the program has already shown success, with about five groups of children visiting the shelter to read during Thanksgiving break. For parents like Natalie Faucette, the program has served as an engaging way to practice reading outside of the classroom.
“(Callie Grace) does have an (Individualized Education Program) and receives support for not just reading, but for math skills as well, so any kind of extra practice that we can get, we do,” she said. “… It does get tiring and for her, she obviously wants to play and be a kid. … Getting to read to a cat and being around kittens, she is practicing the skills that she needs, but she’s doing it in a fun way. I just think it’s amazing.”
Scott Thomas Boone’s mother, Kaydi Boone, shared a similar sentiment.
“It was really fun for my little boy because he’s not big on reading, but it gave him a fun opportunity that he doesn’t have everyday,” she said. “He still struggled, but I feel like he was more confident struggling. He knew it was going to be OK. He wasn’t going to be embarrassed reading to a cat.”
Kelley Ball brought her two daughters over the break as well to keep them interested in reading while out of school.
“Both of my girls, one really loves to read, and the other could use a little encouragement,” she said. “… We have (reading) goals for our youngest that she needs to meet, and so it was just a fun way to do our homework.”
Hays said the program is also helping to prepare the shelter’s cats for adoption. Though only a few cats currently roam the adoption room, Hays said spaces are expected to fill up as kitten season approaches in the spring and summer. During those months, the shelter typically has between 80 and 100 cats in need of homes.
“That’s the thing I’m excited about, really, is as the time goes on, it will progressively get bigger and better,” she said. “… We are a little low on cats right now, and we still have had groups of kids coming in here with their parents to read. So adding little kittens that can run around, and the amount of books we’ve had donated is just fantastic. … I think that it’s just going to be exciting to see where it goes.”
Beyond helping the cats find homes, Hays said she hopes the program will teach children the importance of treating animals with care and respect.
“That’s what it boils down to,” she said. “You can judge a lot about a person on how they treat an animal, and I think it’s important to get awareness out that animals need love. Animals need attention. At a young age, I was always taught to be an animal lover, and it’s gotten me where I’m at now.
“There’s so many opportunities in the animal world to make a difference,” she added. “It could, for one of these young kids, shape their path. They could be a vet or anything. There’s so many different opportunities nowadays, and I just think that getting young kids educated and excited about animal welfare is huge.”
People of any age can volunteer to read to the cats or donate books by visiting LCHS during business hours at 50 Airline Road.
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