CATS AT WORK
By Helen Wilson
Cats not only receive love and help from humans, they provide it as well! Dating back over 9,000 years, cats worked and lived on ships, protecting grain shipments and helping to prevent disease from rodents. They help to relieve stress and loneliness aboard ships and in other places, such as nursing homes, hospitals, and prisons. In some schools, cats and dogs listen to children practicing their reading aloud skills, reducing the child’s anxiety.
According to Catster.com, cats can make the workplace a better place; “making work more enjoyable and improving professional satisfaction”! After a difficult meeting or situation, snuggling with a cat can lower blood pressure and “nerves.” Catster reports that “a cat’s purr is within a range known to be medically therapeutic for humans.” Not everyone is in favor of workplace pets, however. One study found that 6% of older respondents found the experience negative, and some folks have allergies! Still, a majority of millennial employees said they’d consider a job change if they could bring their pet to work.
Cats fill a wide variety of working roles. Some prefer outdoor jobs, performing rodent control near barns, stables, nurseries, or breweries. In Scotland, whiskey distilleries have found it very helpful to have a cat on duty overnight; they usually catch at least one unwanted creature, avoiding the need for chemicals. The Humane Society places cats that aren’t suited as pets in outdoor jobs, where they are fed and cared for. They are sometimes known as 'barn cats'.
Other locations where cats are often found are bodegas, bookstores, and warehouses (bestfriends.org). A hardware store in CT has a full time cat on duty; he attracts customers, who love to see the kitty roaming the 3 floors of the building! He also sits at the checkout counter to receive pats. The City of New York SPCA places working cats in police stations, military bases, and construction companies. A series of beloved cats have worked atop the Mt. Washington observatory in NH, tolerating sub zero temperatures and high winds at America’s highest peak. Cats, as we cat lovers know, are very smart! They have been trained to monitor blood sugar levels and seizure activity in their human, alerting to a medical emergency. They work as emotional support animals, caregivers and nurturers in health care settings.
Even if the cat isn't out in the workforce, they still contribute as managers at home. Anyone who works from home knows how much cats love laptops! From their perch, they can keep an eye on their human or take a nice nap. Studies have found cats sit on laptops because of the height and proximity to interesting things and contact with their human. The cozy spot allows them to get a chin scratch and the bonus of smelling you! As a sign of love, they leave their scent on the laptop, declaring it as their territory, and ensuring job security!
Pearl supervising