FORT WORTH, Texas — When first-grade teacher Madison Niederholtmeyer noticed her students’ constant pleas to meet her two cats, she found a purr-fect solution—using her pet feeder’s live camera to bring the classroom and her feline companions together.
Niederholtmeyer, who teaches in Fort Worth, Texas, often shares stories about her two-year-old cats, Orzo and Ziti, with her students. But after months of hearing, “I wish we could meet your cats!” she decided to get creative.
“I don’t have my own kids, so they’re my company at home,” Niederholtmeyer told PEOPLE. “Sharing them with my class helps me connect with my students and show them I have a life outside school.”
The breakthrough came when she purchased a Petlibro Granary Camera Feeder, an automated device that lets her schedule meals and monitor her cats via a phone app. Realizing her students would love seeing Orzo and Ziti in real time, she began projecting the feeder’s live feed in her classroom as a reward for good behavior.
A Viral Classroom Moment
When students earn the privilege, Niederholtmeyer streams the cats’ mealtime on the classroom screen and taps a button to dispense treats. The children erupt in laughter as Orzo and Ziti scamper into view.
“They thought it was amazing,” she said. “They were full of giggles.”
A TikTok clip of the students’ excited reactions—captioned “Teacher tip: let your students feed your pets a treat as a reward”—has racked up over 2 million views, with commenters praising the idea as both heartwarming and motivational.
More Than Just Fun
While the virtual visits entertain her first-graders, Niederholtmeyer values the feeder’s dual benefits: keeping tabs on her pets and strengthening classroom bonds.
“It’s been a great way to connect—not just with my cats, but with my students too,” she said.
For now, Orzo and Ziti remain content at home—unaware of their newfound fan club. But in Niederholtmeyer’s classroom, they’re already stars.
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