Cats N Things: Therapy Cat Rules

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Therapy Cat Rules

therapy cat rules

When you want to be a therapy cat, you have to pass a test, but all that means is that you can put on the therapy vest and visit hospitals, schools and other facilities in an official capacity. They don’t tell you about the rules… you learn them as you go along.

What are these therapy cat rules? I’ve only been working as a therapy cat for a little over 6 months, so I don’t know them all, but here are the ones I have learned so far.

Your job starts the moment your human partner takes you out of the car. You never know who you are going to meet when you are headed to the hospital to sign in. I have met lots of humans who needed kitty energy before I even entered the building.
You are there for the staff as much as you are there for the patients. The nurses, doctors and supporting workers all have very tough jobs, and they need you.
Similarly, the patients’ families are also important. Even if the patient is asleep, or they aren’t interested in seeing a kitty, the family members sometimes are. And it is nice for them to see you when they are worried about someone they love.
Don’t worry if the patients or their family don’t speak English. Kitty is understood in all languages.
Don’t let your human partner whisk you away immediately if someone says they are afraid of kitties. A lot of times they are fascinated by you, and your human may be able to start up a discussion about cats in general. Educating is good. And you are still on the job as a therapy cat! There is a nurse at one hospital who is scared of cats… but she always wants to see me anyway, even if she too scared to touch me.
It is okay to leave right away if a human says they are allergic. In fact, it is a good idea.
Of course it is fun to lie down next to the patient and purr and snuggle, but there are other ways to work therapy cat magic. In fact, the moment a patient sees you and smiles, 50% of your work is already done, and the rest is gravy.
Sometimes patients or family want to talk about their kitties at home, or the cats in their past. Always leave lots of times for them to share their stories.
Sometimes a patient just needs to look at you to feel better. They don’t need to touch you every time.
It is okay for children to be rough, as long as they don’t hurt you. Usually the parents or teacher will remind the child to be gentle, but it is also up to your human to gently body block any arms and hands that are too grasping and grabby. Kids can’t learn how to properly handle a cat without actually doing it, and as a therapy worker you are safer than most cats.
Because the surroundings are a little unfamiliar (even if you’ve been there before) and the people almost always are new to you, it’s hard to get completely comfortable. So when you purr, it’s really special. If you do purr, make sure your human partner lets the patient know this. I find as I go along, I purr more and more for patients.