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Pet Owners Come in on Little Cat Feet

Humans head back to school to get in touch with their feline side

By Heather McPherson, Newser User

Posted Aug 22, 2007 4:51 PM CDT

(Newser) – Cat lovers have a new way to understand the feline mind: by training at the touring “Acatemy.” Students can partake in “cat-isthenics” to exercise like their favorite four-legged friends, noodle around with an oversized ball of yarn, or “cat-nap” on a bean bag. Animal behaviorists say the 6-day program promotes interspecies understanding.

Animal experts of all kinds frequent the classes to teach humans how to make animals happy, Reuters reports from New York. The Amazing Kreskin leads a seminar on reading cats' minds, and a pet psychic says she can connect pet owners with their felines—both alive and dead—to learn more about their past lives.

[Images (7)]

[Videos (1)]

A rat and cat are seen in a cage at a police station in Bogota, Tuesday, July 24, 2007. The Colombian police force has been experimenting with training rodents to detect explosives in minefields. The... (Associated Press)

reff) (Associated Press)

A white Siberian tiger rests onto a trunk at the zoo in Beijing... (Getty Images)

A barn cat watches over a press conference held by jockey Mario... (Getty Images)

A cat dressed up in costume poses for a (Getty Images (by Event))

Veterinarians judge a cat during a cat show inside a shopping... (Getty Images (by Event))

Young Indonesia women display their cats dressed up in clothes... (Getty Images (by Event))

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Pet Owners Come in on Little Cat Feet