Project Winkfield: children read stories to dogs and cats
The project of the Cranbourne Primary School is one of those to be told: the English institute wants to help pets to relax while awaiting adoption and, to allow greater welfare of dogs and cats, involves children, its pupils, as a part integral and proactive.
Contrary to what happens in pet therapy, where animals help children overcome some cognitive or behavioral difficulties, in this case, the opposite is true: in fact, children read stories to the animals that are guests of the structure, thus helping the dogs and cats to relax while waiting for a new family to welcome them to themselves.
Children are about six years old and have a large collection of books available to choose from their favorite. Inside the catalog, there are of course also books that talk about stories of dogs and cats, and that can probably better adapt to the particular context in which the little ones are found.
A very interesting project, with a dual purpose: in addition to generating adequate relaxation in pets, children were able to benefit from very positive interaction with dogs and cats, gaining a secure training “on the field”!
Does the cat smell shoes? That’s why he does it!
A recent analysis on the behavior of cats has brought back the behavior of the cat that sniffs the shoes to a scientific tendency. It appears that the cats are naturally attracted to all the surfaces that emit strong smells, even if they may seem - to the human sense of smell - particularly unwelcome.
In addition to the above, a further element is added: normally the smell of shoes also contains animal odors, such as pheromones that are emitted by other cats or other animals.
For this reason, when a cat rubs itself against shoes, it is probably doing nothing but “rewriting” the smelling message on them, thus adding its own signature. It is probably also a way to be able to exchange signals with the owner, demonstrating that man can also be part of his own social group.
The explanation was also taken up on the National Geographic website, in response to questions from a careful reader who had identified this “strange” behavior of her cat.