Does your little one read to your cat?

Book Buddies is a program run by the Animal Rescue League in Pennsylvania where kids read to the shelter’s resident cats.

 

The scheme allows children aged between six and 13 to improve their reading skills while the cats also benefit from the "rhythmic sound of a voice" which they find "very comforting and soothing".

 

Book Buddies has proved popular among mothers with one saying: “I believe it truly helps [my son] to not only read, but to help the animals who do not have warm loving homes, and that we must help speak up for the critters who do not have a voice.”

 

After a photo of a young boy reading to one of the cats appeared on Reddit, the shelter has been inundated with donations.

 

The rescue centre took to their Facebook page to thank everyone for their continued support. They wrote: “We are THRILLED that a post from a friend of our Book Buddies program is going crazy on Reddit!”