Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2)

Last summer, 15-year-old Kelvin Chow Tsan-hung noticed something unusual outside a classroom at school. A fragile newborn kitten was lying under the hot sun.

“The teachers and I were waiting for the mother cat to return. But she did not show up,” said the Form Three pupil from HKSYC&IA Chan Nam Chong Memorial College. The school is located near a hill, and it often attracts stray cats seeking shelter.

After three months, the feline found a loving home at the place where she was rescued. The school named her Yuzu.

How Nam Cheong Cat House was created

Last November, Kelvin’s school opened a cat shelter by turning a meeting room into a home for strays. Besides Yuzu, they also look after Daai Ngaan Mui, meaning “wide-eyed girl”, and Sam Fa, named after a popular brand of evaporated milk.

Their shelter is called Nam Cheong Cat House. Students and teachers at the secondary school built the space from scratch. With the guidance of a woodworking teacher, pupils created a tree house for the cats to play.

Kelvin is one of the 17 pupils responsible for looking after the kittens. Four times a week, he cleans the cat litter boxes, monitors their health, trims their nails and more.

The school brought in a cat behaviour therapist to show students how to safely interact with cats.

Sun Na-lee is one of the teachers who initiated the idea for the on-campus cat house. Sun said they installed a live-streaming camera in the shelter. That way, pupils in the school canteen can keep up with the cats.

Form Three student Rainie So Wing-lam is one of the carers. Her most rewarding moment has been witnessing Yuzu’s growth.

“When I first started taking care of Yuzu, he ... would often bite people when touched. But now, he has become very sweet and hugs people often,” the 14-year-old said.

Improving study-life balance

The shelter is also a space for students to have a better study-life balance.

Studies show that interacting with animals can reduce stress and improve social skills. Cats can create a relaxing environment to aid pupils in easing their minds.

Form One student Bella Fu Hing-sum shared how the cat house made an impact on her: “It makes me very happy ... Ever since we had the cats on campus, I can relax simply by visiting the cat shelter and playing with them.”

Find the words in the puzzle below to test your understanding of the vocabulary in this story.

Think about it

• Stop and think: The school cares about animal welfare and wants students to learn responsibility and care for animals.

• Read and respond: It teaches the students to learn how to handle the cats safely and prevent injuries.

• Consider this: Caring for the cats reduces students’ stress and improves their social skills. The animals also create a relaxing environment that aids students in easing their minds.