Meet Handy Hank, a helping hand for shy cats

It’s all hands on deck when it comes to helping cats find their bravery at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. That’s the hands of caregivers and volunteers, as well as Handy Hank — a handy (pardon the pun) tool used to help cats get comfortable with human touch. For one gorgeous tuxedo kitty named Starling, Handy Hank has made a huge difference in helping her enjoy people’s attention and affection.

Shyness can make it difficult for pets to stand out to potential adopters. So one of the ways Best Friends supports shelters in reaching no-kill is by taking in pets like Starling who need extra care or time before they’re placed in new homes. Best Friends caregivers use a variety of gentle, creative approaches to help them feel more at ease.

Enter Handy Hank: a training tool featuring a soft, fabric-covered hand on a stick, designed to create a little distance between person and animal while building positive associations with touch.

VIDEO: behind the scenes in Cat World at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Hank is a versatile tool, not only used to simulate a person’s hand stroking their fur but also helping with other daily interactions that can cause stress for cautious kitties. For example, caregivers can use Hank to move food bowls. Then, over time, Hank — and people’s hands in general — become normal and less scary to the cats. Plus, once kitties have decided Hank isn’t so bad, the hand part can be swapped out for other tools, such as a brush, to help cats get used to other items they’ll likely experience in their adoptive homes.

At first, Starling wasn’t so sure about Handy Hank. The strange new “hand” earned cautious glances and plenty of hesitation.

During training sessions, Best Friends caregiver Isaac DeBlasio paired a simple cue — “touch” — with a reward. When Starling leaned forward to tap Hank’s outstretched hand, she received a favorite treat. Eventually, Starling and Isaac — and Hank, of course — progressed from simple touches to using Hank to stroke along her back.

One kitty’s transformation from scaredy-cat to queen of her castle

Then, Starling graduated to the next phase of Hank’s training: the brush. Isaac used it to brush along her silky coat while giving her lots of treats to help reinforce that new things can bring tasty outcomes.

Over time, something clicked. The once-wary tuxedo cat began to associate people’s hands with good things. And as that understanding grew, so did her confidence.

Starling’s curiosity has begun to shine. She’ll pad forward to investigate a visitor, brushing against their hand or twining herself through their legs, asking — quite insistently — for attention.

Her bravery has translated to other aspects of her life at the Sanctuary, too. Now, she even enjoys going on stroller rides through the scenic trails.

Today, Starling is embracing that people’s hands don’t have to be something to fear — they can be the start of comfort, connection, and trust. And sometimes, all it takes is a little patience (and a helping Hank) to show a cat just how brave she can be.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.