Twinkie: From a deserted kitten to a Therapy-Cat!
Are cats really on the autism spectrum?
Dr. Vera Bernard-Opitz
Twinkie has won us over: despite years of cat skepticism, this one-year-old cat has crept into our home and hearts. And I learned a lot about cat training and its potential therapeutic effect on people with autism.
When our 30-year-old son moved back from Arizona to us in California with 9 baby cats and 2 adult cats, I once again suspected "trouble". Even as a child (with ADHD) he was often a challenge at school and at home due to his love of animals. At the age of 3 he could catch frogs with each hand, whose offspring soon "enriched" our garden with constant frog concerts. So, this time cats, all black with yellow eyes and a melting look!
The story behind it is just as heartbreaking: he had found a litter of 5 baby cats in a wrecked car. As there was no mother cat to be found, he took them in and raised the kittens with an eyedropper. In no time at all, 4 small indoor cats became 8, then 12 and dad "Chief" did not stop his attempts to reproduce. One of the litters was motorically limp and particularly affectionate, so he named her "Twinkle Toe". He gave her to us with the words "I don't know if I can ever give you anything better". And indeed: after mutual exploration, Twinkie Toe became a real treasure ... and not only that!!!
Twinkie proved to be a grateful learner who impressively demonstrates the effect of reinforcement. The immediate sound of a clicker prior to getting her reinforcement seemed important in the beginning of her training (Grant & Warrior, 2019) She responds with her attentive gaze and comes when called - unless she is otherwise occupied. She has learned to respond to "Come", "Sit", "Wait", "Jump", "Turn", "High five", "Touch", "Give paw" and other mainly situational commands with simple instructions, clear help and positive consequences such as praise, petting, cat toys and small treats, which is quite special for cats that are generally considered difficult to train.
She sits next to me on the "assistant's chair" for hours on end and looks at me with wide eyes when she has climbed into the "boss's chair" whenever I leave just for a minute. She likes routines and communicates by weaving through my legs and meowing quietly when - from her point of view - it is training or playtime, the water is not in the right place, the food bowl is not filled or filled with the "wrong" food or the working time (after 11:30 pm) has passed. She is fascinated by certain noises and movements such as the ball game pictured and likes to play endlessly with various cat teasers. She particularly enjoys playing alone in her cat tunnel, throwing a chirping toy bird and toy mice back and forth, hiding and searching for them. And very special: she communicates spontaneously by looking and lifting her paw that she wants to be trained.
Twinkie is a cuddly cat who clearly shows exactly where she likes to be stroked. When strangers visit, she either comes to sniff the newcomer or withdraws and hides in her den, a play tunnel and under cupboards, sofas and in boxes. She has blossomed into an "Emotional Support Animal" and is allowed into any American restaurant or public transportation as a companion with ID and a badge (https://usserviceanimals.org).
"Therapy Dogs" and "Therapy Cats"?
Parents have repeatedly reported that dogs and horses are helpful for people on the autism spectrum. For example, therapy dogs are said to have prevented or interrupted tantrums, improved children's ability to fall and stay asleep, and contributed to a general calming of the child. Unfortunately, these claims are mainly based on anecdotal reports that have not yet been confirmed by objective studies. In a recent study of 39 families, Rodriguez et al (2024) only found improved sleep behavior with a therapy dog. In contrast, child withdrawal, irritability, hyperactivity and self-control were only slightly improved compared to the control group.
Compared to the findings with therapy dogs, the effect of cats on the behavior of individuals with autism has only recently been investigated. Social media and pet magazines report improved social and play skills in interactions of children with autism with their cat. As with therapy dogs, parents and those affected report that cats trigger a sense of well-being, create trust, boost self-confidence and reduce stress, anxiety and depression (Timms, 2024). Their presence can be comforting for feelings of loneliness and sadness and contribute to the emotional stability of those affected.
In addition, according to initial scientific findings, cats have advantages over dogs in contact with children with autism. In comparison to dogs cats have less frequent eye contact, are usually less active and noisy and are therefore perceived as less threatening by children and adolescents with autism. In the context of psychotherapy, the trust of the person concerned in the therapist can be strengthened. And by the way, they are generally easier to care for than dogs, require less exercise and cost less.
According to our own initial observations, children with autism can reduce anxiety and depressive moods and learn empathy and emotional expression through interaction with cats during therapy. Again, this is an anecdotal finding based on few cases which should be backed up by more objective data!
However, perhaps Twinkie Toe can break the ice for cat adoption for individuals on the spectrum as she already has for some of my patients with AS. After initial observations, children and young people with autism came up to Twinkie, wanted to stroke her, give her instructions and follow her games. The otherwise obstructive communication barriers, depression and self-centeredness of those affected suddenly seemed to be forgotten. The finding that cats are not that "difficult to train" can also be encouraging clear learning structures, simple communication, motivating tasks and reinforcing social consequences can obviously help animals and people.
In the English bestseller "All cats have Autism Spectrum" (Hoopmann, K., 2020), typical autistic behaviors are illustrated with impressive photos of small and large cats. Among other things, sensory abnormalities, preferences for certain smells, foods and routines, social withdrawal, repetitive play and the pronounced sensitivity of these animals are wonderfully visualized. The book can give young and old readers, those affected and those who want to learn more about autism, a first insight into the variety of special behaviors that occur in some (not all!) cats and people on the autism spectrum.
"My cat means I'm no longer alone!"
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