Each week harpist Rachel Christensen uses tunes from her harp to counter the incessant barking of dogs and calm shelter cats.
Over-crowded Freeborn County Humane Society was set to expand the shelter last summer. The expansion would create a cat room separate from that of the dogs that bark all day, fraying the nerves of workers, visitors, and cats alike. The anonymous gift of $150,000 from a donor to use for the expansion was entrusted to former Freeborn County Commissioner Linda Tuttle. Tuttle, who was a respected and longstanding business owner, was arrested for allegedly gambling away all of the $150,000. She has been charged with wire fraud and is currently awaiting trial.
Rachel Christensen is familiar with the conditions at the shelter. She owns a local gas station which she named after her dog, Ole. In the back she sells used books and gives the proceeds to the shelter. When she heard about the embezzlement, she decided to do what she could and, with her harp, brought a little peace to the cats. Shelter director Christa Steiler said, “I love how it makes them relax, calms them down.” Christensen plays for the dogs as well but it is the cats who seem to benefit most. “We just do the best we can while they’re here, to make life good,” she said.
My cats love music. I am sure that my singing to a feral adult cat I adopted helped him learn to trust me!
One of my rescued cats was very nervous and wild for quite some time. When she finally trusted me enough to pick her up and hold her, I started singing softly to her. She suddenly threw me a look like I had grown a second head and flew out of my arms! LOL! I have a pretty voice, it just scared her to hear a different voice come out of me.
God bless you, Rachel!! Lucky kitties to have you dedicate your time to calm them! 🙂
What a wonderful lady to dedicate her time to calm the kitties!! I have a neighbor kitty who moved into our garage and I keep a radio on out there for him, as well as my own in the house seem to really enjoy music. I even thought of donating a few radios to the local shelter for the kitties in the FIV & FeLeuk rooms.
I have one cat in particular that, everytime I sing, she will come in and sit by me and just stare at me, giving my “eye hugs”. I like to think she is my biggest fan!! 😉
@Rene Creasy: My cat was like that too, and he hated when I whistled…