Originating in ancient India, yoga has historically been a way for participants to connect the mind and body through breathwork and movement. But a Saturday event offered a furry twist.
Starting this summer, the Humane Society of North Central Florida has hosted 10 kitten yoga sessions — an event designed to help kittens find their “fur-ever” homes and introduce people to the world of adoption.
Isabella Lentine, the Humane Society’s event, education and outreach coordinator, has seen many kittens find foster parents or homes since the program started, she said.
“Having people who are willing to take animals into their home, even for a temporary amount of time, really helps us save more lives,” Lentine said.
With seven yoga attendees, Saturday’s class started with a brief introduction to all of the kittens, which were brought into the room in pairs by shelter volunteers.
Classes are capped at eight participants and cost $20, with proceeds going directly to the shelter to help fund its animal care operations. Tickets typically sell out within 20 to 30 minutes of going live on the Humane Society of North Central Florida website, Lentine said.
At the beginning of Saturday’s class, the kittens were mostly timid. Some huddled up in a corner together, and others lay in a litter box. But once the class settled and began breath work, the cats began to explore the room, and two even gained the courage to climb the attendees’ legs during standing movements.
Caitlyn Adams, one of the instructors, takes a kittens-in-charge approach to the class, she said, allowing the animals to pick which attendees they’d like to interact with rather than the other way around.
The kittens involved in yoga are held in a separate space from the rest of the cats, as they are still working on socialization.
“The cats' environment at the humane society, I haven’t seen anything like them,” she said. “They are gorgeous, clean, and bright and just well equipped.”
Once the class ended, participants passed around treats to give the kittens, further promoting human-cat bonds. Before the felines were taken back to the kitten rooms, the instructor encouraged the class to continue playing with their potential adoptees.
Scarlett Mcmonigle, a kitten-yoga attendee, waited two months to be able to attend the event, she said. After not owning pets while growing up she wanted to have the opportunity to be around kittens in a way she never got to be. She’s taken part in traditional yoga at Yoga Pod, a Gainesville studio, but Mcmonigle said the Humane Society’s event offered an entirely different experience.
“I’m less focused on the practice and more just being present and having fun with the kitties,” Mcmonigle said.
A common misconception with shelter animals, she said, is that they are unclean and aggressive. But a closer look reveals they’re sweet, she added, as shown through events like kitten yoga.
“[Adoption] is 100% the best option for both you and the animal,” Mcmonigle said.
Contact Lilyanna Collado at lcollado@alligator.org. Follow her on X @lilyannacollado.
Lilyanna Collado is a junior journalism student and this is her first semester at The Alligator! This semester she is the Santa Fe reporter. When she's not writing she either reading, going to theme parks and spending time with her four dogs.
