PAWS brings kittens to play at the public library

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Get Messy got furry on Tuesday as PAWS visited the Charles City Public Library with a collection of kittens for kids to play with.

With toys and pet-sized costumes to enjoy, kids took turns petting and playing with a half-dozen of PAWS’ younger cats.

“I think everybody is loving the kittens,” said children’s librarian Stacey Leerhoff. “I never had cats that would let me put costumes on and walk around the room.”

While most of the attention was placed on the cats, there were also crafts to occupy the kids while they waited for their turn to play. Yarn and cardboard tubes were on hand for kids to turn into homemade cat toys.

“It’d be something to do if the cats were all shy,” said Library Director Annette Dean.

PAWS will be hosting a Kitten Shower on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to bolster support for a sudden influx of young cats.

Meanwhile, the library is preparing for a night of scares, decorating the stacks for a Haunted Library event on Saturday, Oct. 26. The event, not recommended for kids under 10 or those who scare easily, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m.