Honoring 'Phillip Twitter,' WNC's only therapy cat, on National Therapy Animal Day

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The city of Asheville is designating Tuesday, April 30, as National Therapy Animal Day -- and that includes a very special kitty that is one of only three therapy cats in the state of North Carolina.

According to nonprofit Pet Partners, Phillip Twitter is the only therapy cat in Western North Carolina.

The group says many animal species can become therapy pets, including birds, rabbits and even rats.

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Phillip's owner, Dawn Crouse, said he was a stray taken to a shelter before being rescued and then becoming a registered therapy cat -- in under seven months.

On Friday, April 26, he met some children at Beverly Hills Baptist Preschool.

Phillip's owner says therapy cats have a different style than therapy dogs.

“They visit much slower than the dogs. The dogs are used to going from person to person," Crouse explained. "The cats like to stay put for a while, and that makes them especially good when they’re visiting older people in facilities because they want to visit for a while they don’t want to be rushed."

Phillip Twitter got his name because he likes to chirp as much as he likes to meow.

He is just as comfortable around dogs as he is with kids!