Cat Pawsitive gets high-five from shelters

Why are photos and videos of cats high-fiving suddenly popping up on Facebook and Instagram?

Ask Jackson Galaxy, host of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell.”

Last year, Galaxy launched Cat Pawsitive, a program that encourages animal shelters to teach cats how to do tricks, such as giving high-fives, to make them more attractive for adoption. Shelters across the country have been participating.

The premise is simple. A kitty who can sit on command, jump through a hoop, give a paw bump or a high five demonstrates to a prospective owner that it can listen to instructions and connect with others.

A high five can make a shy cat open up and more aggressive cats play nice, Galaxy preaches.

Another benefit: Shelters can be scary places for animals, and activities like learning tricks are good stress relief.

So far, about 30 shelters across the country have worked with the Cat Pawsitive program, with another 50 expected to participate this year, according to Mother Nature Network.

More than 400 cats who participated were adopted during the first two semesters of the program, created by The Jackson Galaxy Project, a charitable program of GreaterGood.org.

It’s a free program for shelters and rescues, with sponsors including the Petco Foundation and Halo Pets picking up the tab for training materials, online classes and other things such as training treats.