Re: Library Cats

[Mary Lynn Shields <shields@CASCADE.NWNET.NET>]

Library cats for the allergic, =---
   I have a library cat in my school.  The cat by day lives outdoors,
indoors, all over the school.  On my staff are about 6 teachers who have
allergies to cats, not to mention all the kids who have allergies.  We
have found that the only place that those who are allergic have a
difficult time in in the area in the library office that contains the
cat's basket....those teachers who are allergic don't let the cat in thier
clasrooms, generally the school is such a large place and the cat really
does not stay in any one place for long, no problems have occured.
Children who are allergic just are instructed not to pick up or touch the
cat.  One year we had an asthmatic child who was highly susceptible, so we
vaccuumed the library right before that child's class came, and kept the
cat out of the library on that day, solved the problem, so I woudl
recommend a cat even when staff/students have allergies, as the good the
cat does in numerous ways is worth it.....that is a quote from a very
allergic staff member.


                 M. L. Shields - Lib/Media Specialist
                      Lake Forest Park Elementary
                         Seattle, WA 98155
                       shields@cascade.nwnet.net
                                or
                   mshields@slc.shorelin.wednet.edu