Cats and Crafts, hosted at the University of Kentucky, allowed students to spend some time out of their busy agendas to enjoy the company of kittens, among other activities.
On Feb. 27 the UK Student Activities Board (SAB) hosted Cats and Crafts. SAB Director of Campus Engagement Cayla Barreiro said she organized such event to ease tension among students caused by upcoming exams, as well as other common stressors occurring mid-spring semester. The event took place at the Harris Ballroom in the Student Center.
Barreiro said she thought to center the event around cats “because people don’t get to see cats walking around campus all the time like they do dogs.”
While some students waited patiently for their turn to interact with the kittens located in the petting zone, others gravitated towards crafting their own paintings, doing embroidery and eating the sweet treats from the dessert table.
UK student Erin Sullivan said she attended the event to spend quality time with cats as she had some of her own she missed during school hours. She said her love for cats acted as motivation to set some time aside to relax and enjoy their company.
Barreiro said not everyone could see their cats every day, unlike her, which is why she planned the event to be “therapeutic for those that are missing their pets at home or just want something comforting to do during this time of year.”
Working in partnership with the Lexington Humane Society, Barreiro said she was able to plan an event where students felt cozy and cared for by being offered services including multiple sensory experiences, as “it’s kind of a very stressful time in the semester.”
Barreiro said engaging in creative activity could also act as a stress reliever for many, which is why she incorporated crafts into the event as an option for those who might want to do something other than just pet kittens.
Lexington Humane Society volunteer Vidhi Patel and UK graduate student Pablo Castilla said their love for kittens would make them attend more events that involved animal therapy to practice mental health wellness.
Patel also said this experience helped her relax before a midterm and that she would most likely continue to volunteer for pet therapy events.
Castilla said exposure to his roommate’s cat ultimately fostered his love and appreciation for cats.
“I’m very happy with how it’s going. Everyone I’ve talked to seems to be enjoying themselves. Hopefully we get to do something like this again at some point,” Barreiro said.
