Children hone literacy skills by reading to rescued cats

IOWA CITY, Iowa (WLS) -- A new program in Iowa has children learning to read by practicing their skills on rescued cats.

Organizers at the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center said the sound of the child's voice soothes the cats and makes them more likely to be adopted. The animals become less shy around humans after spending time with these kids.

Liz Ford, who works at the center, said the program also offers a safe learning environment for the children, which can help them be more confident about reading in the future.

"This is a pretty low pressure environment. These cats aren't going to correct their pronunciation. So I think it's a win-win situation," Ford said.