Have you ever wondered how a teacher can manage to take care of a pet while being busy with work? Do you believe kids should take care of a pet in order to learn responsibility and empathy? Are chicken wings your absolute favorite food in the whole world? Throughout this interview, topics like Shadow’s favorite food and routine after eating, favorite toys, and advice on rescuing cats come up. So, I recommend you pay real close attention to what Ms. Berman, a World History teacher here at Doherty Memorial High School, has to say on owning a pet cat!
I Want to Hear What Shadow Has to Say!
Q: What’s an average day like for Shadow?
SHADOW: “I spend most of my day lounging around the house sleeping. My favorite locations to nap are on the couch or on any sort of soft blanket that has been left out, it’s like they have been left out just for me.”
Q: What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?
SHADOW: “I’m a big napper. Sometimes I will spend my days looking out the window and chirping at birds to make sure they know that this is my territory, but only after I’ve taken a good rest.”
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do together with your human?
SHADOW: “I love watching TV with my human. She always sits under a cozy blanket, so it is the perfect place for me to lay down with her.”
Q: What’s some qualities that you like about your human?
SHADOW: “I like that my human cares for me and will scratch behind my ears. She also feeds me chicken from her dinner sometimes, which is my favorite food.”

Q: What makes you feel safe and comfortable?
SHADOW: “I feel safe when I get to call the shots and do things on my own terms. I don’t like meeting new people unless I have decided it’s ok, or cuddling with a human unless I decide I want to.”
Q: What’s your favorite toy or game you like to play?
SHADOW: “I have a bird on a string that I love to play with! Sometimes, I forget that it’s a toy and I get scared of it.”
Q: How do you feel when you meet new people or animals?
SHADOW: “I don’t like them very much, it takes some time for me to feel comfortable with them. I used to have an older brother and we did not always get along, but I miss him very much now.”
Q: What makes you go into “fight or flight” mode?
SHADOW: “Loud noises and large groups of people. I do not like either at all!”

Q: What’s your favorite way to get attention from your human?
SHADOW: “I love to meow as loud as I can and bump my head into her. This way she knows that I want her attention or some of her food.”
Q: What’s the silliest thing you do that always makes your human laugh?
SHADOW: “I hop down the stairs like a kangaroo! I do both of my front legs at the same time, and then both of my back legs follow.”
Q: If you describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
SHADOW: “I think I would say I am thoughtful. This is because I like to think through everything I do before I do it, and I am also thoughtful in the way that I care for my human.”
How about Ms. Berman’s Responses?
Q: Can you tell me about your pet and how they became a part of your life?
MS. BERMAN: “Shadow is a very particular cat, she can be very loving and cuddly one moment, and then will flip a switch and won’t want to be in the same room as you anymore. I rescued her from a shelter when I was 12 years old and she has been my cat ever since and I’m not exactly sure what breed she is since she was a rescue.”
Q: How long have you been their pet owner?
MS. BERMAN: “I have owned her for 12 years, I adopted her when she was pretty young. Her exact birthdate is unknown.”
Q: What’s the funniest thing your pet has ever done?
MS. BERMAN: “When I first got her, she stayed with me in my room until we were ready to introduce her to the other cat I had as a kid. She was very nervous to be in a new place, so she would hide behind my dresser and peer out from the shadows to just stare at me. That is why I named her Shadow!”

Q: What is their favorite treat?
MS. BERMAN: “Shadow loves all things chicken, but especially chicken wings. Once she eats the rest of the meat, she will carry the bone around the house like a dog, and then hide it for us to find later.”
Q: What’s something you’re forever grateful you’ve learned from being a pet owner?
MS. BERMAN: “I have learned a lot about responsibility and empathy from being Shadow’s owner. I had to be really careful to not make her more anxious and let her do things on her own terms. When I was a kid that was really hard, but now I am so grateful that I had to learn that.”
Q: How do you balance taking care of your pet with your other responsibilities?
MS. BERMAN: “For me, balancing these is pretty easy. For the most part, I stick to a basic schedule of when to do things for her, but if I am off schedule, she will meow at me and remind me.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering getting a pet?
MS. BERMAN: “Make sure you get a pet that fits into your lifestyle and that you will be able to take care of. Shadow has a lot of anxiety from before she was rescued, which can be hard to navigate sometimes. The most important thing, though, is making sure that you love the pet no matter what, and are ready to give it the best life possible.”

As we come to a conclusion on this wonderful interview with Ms. Berman and her pet cat, Shadow, we can’t help but just appreciate the loving bond they have displayed here between pet and pet owner! Did this interview leave you with more questions than you had before reading? Has this interview persuaded you into rescuing a pet yet? Does Ms. Berman’s story prove just how possible taking care of a pet is while having to juggle other responsibilities? We both hope you can leave this interview with a new perceptive in mind when it comes to rescuing animals and caring for them. Ms. Berman’s advice has also taught future pet owners the necessary and valuable lessons you need to consider, along with the funny and cute moments that were shared. Thank you for following along!