Paws and reflect: Hong Kong school’s cat shelter gives students space to take a break from studies, play with kittens

To protect the feeble kitten – which the school named Yuzu – from the sweltering July heat, the school entrusted him to foster care.

Against all odds, he survived.

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After three months, the tenacious feline found a loving home, at the very place where it was first rescued.

Last November, Kelvin’s school opened a cat shelter by turning a meeting room on the ground floor into a home for Yuzu, as well as two other strays named Daai Ngaan Mui, meaning “wide-eyed girl”, and Sam Fa, named after a popular brand for evaporated milk.

Calling their shelter Nam Cheong Cat House, students and teachers at the secondary school built the space from scratch. With the guidance of a woodworking teacher, pupils built a tree house for the cats to roam and play.

Kelvin is one of the 17 students responsible for looking after the kittens. Four times a week, he cleans the cat litter boxes, monitors their health, trims their nails and more.

“Now, I come into school even during holidays to check on the cats after doing my revisions,” the pupil noted.

“I was inspired by Yuzu’s resilience ... The chances of survival for a motherless kitten are quite slim, but he managed to pull through. It was his miracle and drive for life that moved and inspired me to become a caretaker.”

The presence of these feline friends has not only lightened the school atmosphere but also fostered a sense of community among staff and students.

Sun Na-lee, one of the teachers who initiated the idea for the on-campus cat house, said that its launch had a smooth start since many of the staff were animal lovers.

“We simply sent an email, asking teachers if they were interested in volunteering as mentors for the cat shelter, and we received quite a lot of responses,” Sun said, sharing that teachers were always available even during lunchtime to monitor the cat space.

They have also installed a live-streaming camera in the shelter so pupils in the school canteen can keep up with what the cats are up to.

“It’s fulfilling to engage in something we truly want to do, especially when it has such significant educational value ... It brings us great joy, as if we are stepping beyond our roles as teachers and becoming more involved in the local community,” the teacher added.

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To train students to be carers, the school brought in a cat behaviour therapist to show students how to safely interact with cats.

Another teacher, Lau Yuk-mui, shared: “Since we were concerned about situations where the cats might provoke or bite people, we wanted them to learn how to minimise their aggressive behaviour.”

Form Three student Rainie So Wing-lam said her goal as a carer was to help the kittens grow into affectionate and friendly cats. Her most rewarding moment has been witnessing Yuzu’s growth since he arrived at the school.

“When I first started taking care of Yuzu, he hadn’t fully adjusted yet and would often bite people when touched. But now, he has become very sweet and hugs people often,” the 14-year-old said.

While the cats have brought many smiles to pupils’ faces, the shelter serves another important purpose: a space for students to have a better study-life balance.

Alarms in Hong Kong have long been sounding over students’ mental well-being.

In 2022, lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung, who represents the education constituency, called for more resources to emphasise life education and to assist schools with improving the subject in new ways such as by caring for animals.

Studies have shown that interacting with animals can help reduce stress and improve social skills. Cats can create a relaxing environment that aids students in easing their minds.

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At the school in Kwai Tsing, their shelter offers a much-needed space for staff and pupils to take a break and alleviate their stress. Adorning the walls of the cat house, a student-made banner emphasises the importance of self-care and taking “me time”.

Form One student Bella Fu Hing-sum shared how the cat house made an impact on her: “It makes me very happy ... Ever since we had the cats on campus, I can relax simply by visiting the cat shelter and playing with them.”

The 12-year-old noted that the cat shelter not only helped students on an individual level but also fostered a sense of camaraderie among peers.

“The change among our classmates is that we communicate more often since we need to coordinate with different carers,” Bella explained.

“For example, if we have already fed the cats, we let others know so they don’t feed them again. If we haven’t had a chance to change the water, but the cats need it, we make sure to communicate about it.”

Kelvin believes that the lessons for life education should be practical, and having a cat house on campus is a hands-on way to learn about taking ownership.

“Real-life practice is way more effective than relying solely on a shallow curriculum,” he said.

Since taking on the role of a carer, the teenager has observed his own personal growth: “I’ve developed a stronger sense of responsibility since I am accountable for three little lives.”