Does Coloring Cats Relieve Stress?

Miss Cuddlywumps reviews a coloring book

She of Little Talent has recently “discovered” a new pastime that is not so new. Old SoLT has discovered something called “adult coloring.”

It’s not what you might think.

Adult coloring is exactly like kid coloring, only it’s done by people with jobs and responsibilities who want to escape it all and recapture their lost childhood. There are many, many coloring books aimed specifically at adults, with any variety of intricate designs just waiting to be colored in. Coloring is purported to relieve stress, and we already know that cats relieve stress, so it is no surprise that several of these books feature cats.

Old SoLT tried the Creative Haven Creative Cats Coloring Book because it seemed to have the sort of designs she would most enjoy coloring. She also “invested” in a large handful of good-quality colored pencils to supplement her old cheap set. (Hint: There is great potential to spend way more on pencils than on the coloring books. Way more. Way, way more.) Being far too stiff and creaky to lie on the floor and color like she did “back in the day,” she set herself up with a lap desk in a recliner and commenced to color a cat.

Poor old SoLT's attempt at coloring
a cat.

Well, I should say she partially colored a cat. She actually made excellent progress (for her) before becoming distracted by (a) the need to cook dinner, (b) the television remote, and (c) a game on her iPad. She did report feeling no stress whatsoever while she was coloring, and she swears she is going to color some more because it was fun. (See results at right.) It was nice to do something that did not involve a computer or a screen of any kind, she says. Also, there are no annoying pop-up ads in coloring books.

So, if you are looking for something fun to do, something you don’t need to plug in or charge up or curse at when the screen freezes, you might try coloring a cat or two. Soon you’ll find yourself feeling like a kid again, at least until it’s time to pay the credit card bill for all those colored pencils you bought.

Highly recommended!