Felinotherapy – treatment for cats has long been known that being with a cat, caressing it has a positive effect on people’s health and well-being. It helps you forget about your daily problems. It has been proven to be sedative, antidepressant, and relaxant for people who are stressed, have chronic fatigue, or suffer from insomnia. These are just a few of the many benefits of felinotherapy.
What is felinotherapy, you ask?
Felinotherapy for cats is a relatively new field of animal therapy. For people who need assistance in the presence or treatment of animals, there are therapeutic activities and mental as well as physical rehabilitation. This type of therapy is not yet popular in Lithuania. It is well-known in the USA, Great Britain, and Sweden for many decades.
Cat therapy is best for the elderly, the disabled and the lonely who are experiencing high stress levels. You can either run it alone or with a small group of people. Outgoing activities are also increasingly offered, but they are directed to special places – nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals.
Felinotherapy: Theory and Practice
Felinotherapy is a treatment for cats. There are two types for cats: Animal Assisted Therapy or AAT and Animal Assisted Activities. AAT sessions are more formal and serious in nature and are usually the same. AAA, which is an activity involving animals, involves bonding with a cat and learning about cats. The goal is to lift the patient from his world.
These activities often combine with music therapy, drawing, or librarianship. AAT in cats is a better option for autistic people. The average meeting lasts one hour. The first meeting is shorter and involves introducing your cat to your future friend.
Felinotherapy courses and training
Felinotherapy – treatment for cats. Both the caregiver as well as the feline therapist need to be certified and pass the tests. This is possible in Poland, for instance, through several foundations or felinological organisations. The cost ranges between 375 and 625 euros. The test the cat has to perform simulates the conditions of future work – noise, jerking movements, the presence of strangers and caresses.
A certificate can only be obtained if the cat is at least 1 year old. A cat therapist can continue to perform their duties until 12 years of age or until the condition becomes more severe, mental or physical.
Who can do therapy?
Felinotherapy – treatment for cats. The person who is able to perform therapy with cats must be patient, calm, and able to communicate well. They are responsible for monitoring and controlling the entire meeting. It is essential to understand the body language and signals of the cat. Felinotherapy is a treatment for cats. Every nuance of a cat’s behavior, such as the position of the ears, the movements of the tail, and the dilation of the pupils, tells about the cat’s emotional state. You can tell if she is tired, impatient, or just starting to get tired. It is possible to avoid an unpleasant situation by capturing it quickly. The same is true of empathy for people – a sick person may be less willing to talk or be active on a particular day.
Because felinotherapy requires practical preparation and challenging activities, there are no online courses.
Cat breeding for felinotherapy
Choosing a cat for felinotherapy comes with a great deal of responsibility – the patient should not be scratched or bitten. The most important thing to remember is that cats react by running when they are in stressful or unforeseen situations. It isn’t clear which varieties will work for felinotherapy.
Felinotherapy – treatment for cats. The inclination and character of a particular individual is very important here – even among the quietest breeds of catsThey may be overly energetic or not socialized well. There are some breeds that are cat therapists like Ragdolls and Maine Coons.
What cat can you treat?
Felinotherapy – treatment for cats. You should observe the kitten’s social behavior, obedience, willingness and calmness to make contact with people, calm character, and lack of aggression. A calm, stable personality is desirable. They should be able to resist sudden changes, gestures and noises. The cat should wear braces and a leash as it is normal.
Before each treatment session, the cat must have its nails trimmed. The cat can also be combed during sessions. The cat should be able to tolerate the ride and not be afraid of its transport box. It is important for cats to get to know new people and have fun with them. She should be familiarized with different scents.
Feline therapy has many benefits
The mere presence of a cat reduces the feeling of loneliness, distracts from pain and motivates to act – no one will give up the cat’s begging eyes and gentle howls. Patients’ faces are brightened by the playful play and laughter of cats. The syntax used to speak and comment on the many funny actions of cats is important. This helps people who are insecure or trapped and have difficulty making contact.
Participating children in felinotherapyLearn to be patient, open, compassionate, compassionate, responsible, and tender with other living beings. Activities with cats also have a positive effect on children’s emotional development, desire to learn – cat behavior, physiognomy. Older people will, however, find warmth and self-sacrificing love and often feel the meaning in life.
For these people, it is easier to accept treatment and improve their mood. Petting a cat and carrying it around on your hands warms the wrists and weak muscles. It has been proven that the cat’s murmur and touch and their higher than human body temperature – about 38 degrees heat, accelerates wound healing, relieves various types of pain, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. The risk of developing cardiovascular disease is reduced by 3% when cats are kept in regular contact.
Felinotherapy – treatment for cats, according to some scientists, caressing cats releases the happiness hormone endorphin in the human body. This is the best recommendation for developing feline therapy.
