Cat University teaches kids lessons on all things cat

Asked if they would rather have a flying pig or a cat, all nine students that registered for Cat University at Cat Depot Community Center on Feb. 20 belted, “Cats!”

Cat Depot Humane Educator Ellie Levine was a public school teacher for 10 years, so being around kids and teaching the basics of cat caretaking came easy.

Levine was looking at other Florida rescues where kids were involved in animal welfare and saw they were doing similar camps. “I said to myself, ‘we can do that too,’” said Levine.

Students started with an enrichment lesson on where cats like to be petted and different types of catnip to detect a healthy weight and different types of cat toys.

Kids later got creative with making handmade cat toys with chopsticks, fabric and multicolor feathers. They even got the wiggles out with some kid-friendly yoga before meeting the special guest: Winney, the long-hair tabby.

Winney is a senior cat that was surrendered by an assisted living facility because his owner  died.

Before kids got the chance to pet Winney, Levine recapped the lesson on where cats like to be petted and how sensitive their hearing and sense of smell can be.

“He was so soft,” said Olivia Albury, 9. “He likes being touched behind the ear.”