MCVEYTOWN — Just as participants ease into a yoga pose, a curious cat pads across the room, pauses on a mat and decides it’s the perfect place to settle in.

Laughter ripples through the space, concentration softens and the stress of the week melts away. That mix of mindfulness and feline mischief is returning to McVeytown as Rescue Our Furry Friends (ROFF) Cattery Rescue brings back its popular cat yoga fundraiser –an event that blends gentle movement, mental health and adoptable cats into one lighthearted experience.

The Cat Yoga event will take place Saturday, at the Body and Soul Community Center, 205 Chestnut Ridge Road. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., with yoga beginning at 11 a.m. The yoga session lasts one hour, but the full event runs until 12:30 p.m. and includes raffles, fundraising stations and time to visit with cats.

Proceeds raised will benefit ROFF Cattery Rescue and its lifesaving efforts for animals in the community. The event follows a successful first cat yoga held in November 2024, which drew a strong turnout and plenty of positive feedback.

According to Cassandra Prince, a volunteer cat coordinator with ROFF Cattery Rescue, the response to that event helped confirm that the idea was one worth repeating.

“Our first event was a total hit,” Prince said, adding that excitement for the March session is already building. About 25 participants have paid in advance, signaling strong interest weeks before the event.

The idea for cat yoga came from Prince’s own experience attending a goat yoga class, a trend that has grown in popularity across the country. While she enjoyed the novelty, she said the unpredictability of barn animals wasn’t quite for her.

“I actually attended a goat yoga, and that’s what stemmed the idea,” Prince said. “The goats were funny but unpredictable for me. I’m not a barn animal person.”

Domestic animals, she said, felt like a better fit — especially cats, whose calming presence naturally pairs with yoga and wellness. The event also aligns with ROFF Cattery Rescue’s belief in supporting mental health, for both people and animals.

“Yoga is something that helps people of all ages and mobilities,” Prince said. She added that the presence of cats enhances the experience even further. “Cats help that, too.”

Cat yoga allows adoptable cats to roam freely during the session, giving participants the opportunity to interact with them in a low-pressure, relaxed environment. Cats might curl up on yoga mats, wander among participants, or simply observe from a cozy corner of the room.

Even those who don’t plan to take part in the yoga are welcome to attend. Visitors can stop by for the raffles, fundraising stations or to spend time with the cats.

Raffle winners do not need to be present to win. The cost to attend is $20 for adults and $15 for children. Adoptions might take place during the event, but only for those who have been approved ahead of time. ROFF Cattery Rescue does not allow same-day adoption approvals.

Prince said the rescue requires applications to be completed in advance because they conduct veterinarian checks and reference checks as part of their screening process. Since most veterinary offices are closed on Saturdays, those steps must be finalized before the event. As of now, the rescue has about five adoption applications that are already approved and waiting for adopters to meet the cats in person.

Those pre-approved adopters might be able to take a cat home the same day if a good match is made. Anyone hoping to adopt at the event must submit an adoption application and receive approval before March 28.

Beyond adoptions, Prince said cat yoga offers a chance to connect the community with the rescue’s mission in a fun and approachable way. Cat yoga has grown in popularity as rescues look for creative ways to raise funds, increase visibility, and reduce stress — for people and pets alike.

For the ROFF Cattery Rescue, the event is about more than yoga poses; it’s about creating positive experiences that help animals find homes and bring people together. The March event continues what began in November 2024: a morning of movement, laughter, and whiskered interruptions, all in support of cats waiting for second chances.

Tickets are available at https://roff-rescue-cattery.square.site. Adoption applications can be found at https://www.emailmeform.com/form/zUA54Te2t7dgmqf5c2yiV.