Practice your downward-facing cat pose at a 'Yoga with Cats' class
It's time to fight the stigma of cats being lazy. It's time to take a stand for our cats. It's time for cats to go to yoga class.
Good Mews, a no-kill, cage-free cat shelter in Marietta, Georgia, is pioneering this adorable movement by offering Yoga with Cats classes, in which humans practice yoga surrounded by cats.
"The idea originated with the Good Mews marketing committee, which I lead," Nancy Riley, the Good Mews Animal Foundation Board of Directors & Marketing Chair, wrote to Mashable. "We were brainstorming ideas to draw new visitors to Good Mews to help increase adoptions of our shelter cats and kittens."
"We had heard about a shelter in California that was offering yoga classes," she said. "We have a brand new, huge building – 5,500 square feet of space that is completely cage-free for the cats. We have the space, so we thought, why not try a yoga class?"
They also have a volunteer, who is a certified yoga teacher, willing to teach the class and donate the class fee back to the shelter.
"It was a crazy idea that all just came together in a wonderful way," Riley said.
The shelter is crawling with adorable kitties seeking warm homes – or at least someone to spend a yoga class with.
"Because the yoga class is taught right in the cat shelter, the students interact with the adoptable cats in the shelter," Riley told Mashable. "We have about 100 cats in the shelter and usually at least half of them decide to wander through the yoga class, choose a mat to nap on, or strike a few yoga poses themselves. The cats love the music and the quiet atmosphere."
Classes are $20, with all proceeds going directly to caring for the shelter's cats. The Good Mews website provides some more key info, and includes a fun class description.
Are you ready for some downward-facing cat? What could be better than relaxing, meditating and striking a yoga pose amidst the Good Mews feline residents? Join a certified yoga instructor for a one-hour, beginner-level “Yoga with Cats” class on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m., or Sunday, Dec. 11 at 11:30 a.m at Good Mews. Expect a few giggles along the way as the cats roam freely among class participants and may even curl up for a nap on a yoga mat. Classes are limited to 15 students and take place in the main cat room at Good Mews. Minimum age is 18. Your $20 class fee will go directly to the care of the cats and kittens in our shelter. Grab your yoga mat and we hope to see you there! Meowmaste!
Riley told Mashable that the upcoming December sessions are already sold out. So, they've scheduled a few for after the new year, on Jan. 3, 6, and 8.
"We'll also likely add more classes later January, based on demand," Riley said.
And if you fall in love with a yogi kitty, there's good news – they are all available for adoption, and at just $25 for the rest of the year.
Sophie was a Viral Content Intern for the Watercooler channel. More writing and other stuff by Sophie can be found at www.sophiehirsh.com.
