Yoga with kittens makes bow in Whangārei fundraiser

The ancient practice of yoga is as popular as ever, but a new version is being held in Whangārei this week - yoga with kittens.

The event - or rather events, after the first one sold out - are the brainchild of Samantha Emmerson and yoga instructor Sharon Thatcher as a fundraiser for the Whangārei Cat Rescue shelter she runs from her home.

Emmerson ran the Nine Lives Orphanage cat shelter in Auckland and held a similar event there. After moving to Whangārei and setting up the shelter in Morningside, she decided to run another here to raise much-needed money for her shelter.

''I raised about $2000 for the orphanage then so thought I'd see if I could do something similar up here.''

Then Thatcher, owner of Loka Yoga, got in touch about adopting a cat and came up with the idea of having a yoga with kittens fundraiser.

The first Yoga with Kittens event was planned for Loka Yoga, in Vine St, Whangārei, on Thursday, but it sold out and she's now organised a second event for Friday at Loka Yoga from 5.30pm.

The interest has taken her partly by surprise, but Emmerson said kitten yoga is an amazing experience for kitten owners and their pets.

''Over one and a half hours we will play and cuddle with kittens, do some achievable yoga to relax and stretch out with kittens and cuddle some more,'' she said.

''Needless to say, this class will be very informal and is all about having fun and supporting an awesome cause. We will finish the evening with tea and bliss balls.''

Whangārei Cat Rescue relies solely on donations to fund the shelter, which takes in and cares for sick, abandoned, lost and unwanted cats and kittens from all over Whangārei.

Kitten Yoga - Best Friends Animal Society

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Emmerson said she has around 20 cats and kittens at the moment, and has helped and rehomed about 150 cats in the time it has been open.

Thatcher said after falling in love with a kitten at Whangārei Cat Rescue she wanted to do something to help the cause so decided to put on the yoga with kittens event. She did something similar while in Marlborough and found that people loved it.

''I used to have two cats come into the studio while I was teaching yoga and all the people loved having them there and found it so relaxing,'' she said.

Thatcher said she was surprised when the first night sold out.

''I thought we might get 10 people in, but all 16 places sold out in 24 hours so we thought we'd put on another,'' she said.

''I do a charity event every year - last year's was for the Ruakaka Dog Rescue - and this year I wanted to do something that was a bit more interactive and thought that yoga with kittens would be a great way to help a wonderful cause.''

For more info go to www.facebook.com/whangareicatrescue/