Yogis are feline fine at kitten yoga
ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The scene inside Revolver Studios earlier this month looked like most midday yoga classes might: About 30 people stretched in synchrony while listening to classic rock and the instructor’s directions.
But the sound that stood out from a typical yoga class was the occasional “meow” or “yooowl” — while the yogis moved from pose to pose, kittens skittered across the floor and nestled into laps.
The event — a fundraiser for TriCounty Humane Society — was the idea of Revolver Studios owner Scarlette Revolver. She asked if yoga instructor Carrie Clauson would be willing to lead the class.
“Would there ever be a ‘no?’” Clauson asked with a laugh.
Clauson had never led or participated in a kitten yoga class but said she has seen similar events on social media. Staff at Tri-County Humane Society were new to kitten yoga, too.
“We had heard of cat yoga before. It’s a pretty popular event,” said Kayla Koscielniak, marketing and events coordinator for Tri-County Humane Society. “It’s actually pretty funny — I think a week prior to hearing from (Revolver Studios), I found an article online about cat yoga and forwarded it to my boss.”
Other people thought it was a good idea, too.
“Sure enough, the class filled up in less than a day,” Koscielniak said.
Eleven eight-week-old purr-fect kittens — old enough to be away from mom but young enough to still clumsily trip over their paws — joined the yoga class for some meowdidating.
“I picture it as one of the best distractions ever for a workout class,” Koscielniak said. “You get to relax and have kittens playing all over you.”
And the kittens delivered on their promise to distract — while Lillian and Shirley scampered between yoga mats, Betty White repeatedly tried sneaking under the full-length mirrors at the front of the class. And a little gray guy unhappily groaned at the other cats while curled up in the litter box. Participants savored the mewment. St. Cloud resident Deb Sorum attended the class with her daughter, Kali, who repeatedly had to jump up from her mat to rescue Betty White from scaling the wall behind the mirrors. Despite having two cats at home, Deb Sorum said this was the first time she had done yoga with cats.
“We usually have to shut them out of the room,” she said with a laugh.
St. Augusta resident Justin Haakenson had also never attended kitten yoga before. He said his wife asked him if he wanted to go to the session with her.
“If I can play with cats, why not?” he said.
St. Cloud State University student Annabelle Merchant said she grew up on a farm with about 30 cats who roamed around, so despite the distraction, she felt “right at home” with kittens underfoot.
Clausen planned the class to include many seated poses and not as many standing or balancing poses, so no cats got stuck in a tree pose (Get it?).
And at the end of the class, Clausen did an exercise to help participants synchronize their internal systems. The technique is thought to help mood, health and immunity, and cognitive performance, as well as lower stress hormones.
“Studies have shown that using animal friends is very helpful with that,” she said.
Clausen said she hopes to lead a kitten yoga class again. It cost $10, with $7 going to the humane society.
Clausen sent off the participants with a final wish to spread peace and joy in the world — and to remind the folks that all the kittens were available for adoption.
“Meow-maste.”