OTHELLO — Adams County Pet Rescue’s first Kitty Litterature event July 13 worked out well all around, said ACPR Board Member Tammy Foley.

“It was kind of a win-win to get kids reading in the summertime and get extra attention and love for little shelter kitties,” Foley said.

Sixteen children came down to the shelter and read books to the kittens there, Foley said, and another 12 came and were put on a waiting list. Readers brought their own books, ranging from oversized picture books to more advanced chapter books. 

“(The cats) didn’t think it was story time, they sort of thought it was recess,” Foley said. “But the more the kids read, the more they settled down, and several of them were snuggling in the kids’ laps. After two hours when the kids left, every one of those kitties was sound asleep.” 

Foley said she got the idea from a shelter she worked at previously in Louisiana. The Kitty Litterature was such a success, the shelter is planning to make it a regular thing, alternating months with Books and Barks, where kids will read to the shelter dogs.

“I have a feeling that Books and Barks will fill up even faster than Kitty Litterature because generally speaking, we have more dog lovers,” Foley said.

Books and Barks will debut Aug. 6. The registration link will be posted shortly before that on ACPR’s Facebook Page, Foley said.

Joel Martin may be reached via email at [email protected].

    A child reads at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day while a kitten gives his face a sniff. The readers brought their own books, of varying reading levels.
  

    A kitten learns about his own species from a picture book read by a girl at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day event July 13.