Cat PAC held a Cat Café event on Tuesday, January 27 that had people lined up outside, patiently awaiting the felines on the other side of the door. The event consisted of cats and kittens available for play and snuggles. Along with kitten snuggles, there was also a selection of hot beverages available to students.
Some of the visiting cats were provided by Winside Wayward Cats, an organization focused on helping community cats through socialization, Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR), and adoption. These are cats that need to be sheltered and adopted, so it was recommended that visitors make a donation or bring a cat toy to the event. “The love and attention offered to the cats by their caretakers made the event even more memorable,” Robynne McMaster, WSC sophomore, said.
Many students took advantage of this amazing opportunity to unwind and enjoy some relaxing yet fun animal time. “It’s a fun opportunity for students to relax during the day, and a good way to de-stress,” Hadley Dake, a WSC junior, said. The room was filled with students and they even had to start a line outside the door so as not overwhelm the cats
According to AKC Reunite, cats are great stress relievers. Spending time with a cat can cause your body to release stress reducing hormones, which in turn decreases your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure and neutralizes your anxiety levels. Having ways to destress is important for college students, as they deal with busy schedules and hard classes. This lets them unwind and reset their batteries. “Getting to spend time with animals is extraordinarily rewarding and good for the soul,” McMaster said.
At the beginning of this event, there were three cats in the room. Larry, Gorston and Luna were very friendly cats. Gorston and Luna were very interactive and social. However, Larry was a little timid and spent much of his time hiding in the corner. “The cats were really sweet even when they were hiding in the corner,” Dake said. The cats did a great job of bouncing from person to person as the room was full of activities. Many people were seen with toys and treats for the cats to keep them entertained.
This is one of many events that Cat PAC puts on for the WSC student body throughout the semester.