Do you consider yourself to be a kitten cuddler extraordinaire? A professional snuggler of cats? Well, your time has come – this could be a chance of a lifetime! Officials with the Santa Barbara County Animal Services are now on the lookout for kitten cuddlers. While this might sound unusual to some people, cuddling is actually quite important activity for kittens, and the Santa Barbara animal services need all hands on deck.
The shelter recently saw a great influx of kittens – so much so that they are finding it difficult to provide the necessary attention to every single one. While food and water and other amenities are, of course, provided to the shelter’s tenants, there is also a need for cuddling. That’s right - kittens need a lot of cuddling, which has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and to establish a strong pet-owner connection. And with 200 or more kittens in the shelter, the employees simply cannot commit to properly petting all of them – so they’re reaching out to the public, hoping that kitten lovers in the area will respond!
Luckily, you don’t need any special qualifications to become a kitten cuddler – loving felines is all it takes. Nikki Ruhl, a Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter Clinic Supervisor, said that the role entails "just tending to them, because right now we're so busy that we're literally like cleaning and feeding, so having somebody just sit in there, talk with them, socialize with them, they are really going to give us a lot of information and help to find homes for them.”
In addition to being a noble act, this could also be a chance for people in need to unwind and relax as well. For those who have been feeling stressed and depressed lately, cuddling with kittens could be a very potent remedy. "Cuddling stimulates the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which help relieve depression and may make you feel happier," Nikki Ruhl emphasized. So, it’s a true win-win situation. You get to unwind and relax and cuddle with kittens, and they receive the same benefits in return. What’s not to like?
