If you have a cat, you will appreciate what fascinating creatures they are. Although they are typically fiercely independent, felines can be loving and enjoy spending time with their owners.
Indeed, the spectrum of cat personalities is truly fascinating. Some cats thrive when they can bask in your lap for hours, relishing in the comfort and warmth, while others are always on the move, driven by an innate curiosity to explore their surroundings.
Some of these cat characteristics make felines suited to certain jobs and tasks that can assist us humans. Let’s explore five of the jobs these animals can do. You’ll see that dogs don’t have the market cornered on working.
- Therapy work
Just like their canine friends, felines can be found in a therapist’s office. Across the United States, there are over 200 registered therapy cats. When felines work alongside therapists, their primary duty is to help clients receiving counseling feel more at ease in the environment.
As well, it’s not uncommon for therapy cats to take their unique brand of caring and comfort into other settings where people may benefit from their assistance. For example, some may live at a long-term care facility where they support residents. Others might be regular visitors to schools and hospitals. Whatever the job description, these cats undergo supervised training and are registered as therapy animals.
- Emotional support
Closely aligned with therapy work is emotional support. The main difference is that while felines in the former category offer their support to a range of individuals in stressful situations, an emotional support cat is focused on providing assistance and companionship exclusively to their owner.
Like therapy cats, these felines are also registered. Of course, their training is somewhat different. Since they are focused on helping their human navigate a variety of circumstances, they need to be comfortable going out into the world. Accompanying their owner on travels often means navigating numerous public spaces, exposing them to new sounds and people in unfamiliar surroundings.
- Pest control
When it comes to cats and pest control, most people think about barn cats. But farms are not the only location where felines do the hard work of keeping unwanted creatures away. Mice, rats, and other pests can infiltrate warehouses, stores, and other buildings. This is why many business owners employ cats to make sure rodents are not destroying their property or stealing their wares.
While it is less common these days, the tradition of employing pest control cats still endures on certain ships, where they play a vital role in mitigating onboard rodent infestations. If you have a pet feline and have ever experienced a mouse or two coming into your home, you’ll be well acquainted with how effective cats can be at eradicating pests. Often, they will proudly display their kill openly on your floor where it can easily be found.
- Greeting customers
Felines with jobs as greeters seem to love their work. These are very personable creatures that will hop down from wherever they are perched to welcome visitors. For example, at Kishi Station in Wakayama, Japan, cats Yontama and Nitama serve as stationmasters to greet tourists.
In places such as stores and gardening centers, their presence serves a dual purpose, as they are also effective at keeping mice at bay. Furthermore, cat greeters aren’t exclusive to commercial establishments; you might encounter them in various other settings as well.
Your veterinarian may have a few felines on staff. In this instance, cats make a point to welcome any pet that visits the animal clinic. Their presence may offer comfort to other creatures, assuring them that this is a safe place where they’ll be well taken care of.
- Acting
Cat actors have been in Hollywood for a long time. These animals are fine feline specimens in the looks department and display a temperament conducive to taking on an acting role. Not unlike people, having the right connections to break into the acting industry is critical.
That being said, cats now have another avenue for showcasing their talents. Instead of pursuing fame on the big screen, they can carve out their own niche on the internet. The online world has witnessed an astonishing surge in animal personalities, with a significant number of them being cats. Naturally, their human partners are the ones handling most of the behind-the-scenes work.
In conclusion
If these roles haven’t already convinced you of the potential employment of felines, consider the intriguing case of Stubbs, a cat who held the title of mayor in Talkeetna, Alaska, for a remarkable 20 years. While it’s true that his position was largely ceremonial, he rarely missed a day of duty.