FORT WORTH, Texas — When first-grade teacher Madison Niederholtmeyer’s students kept asking to meet her cats, she found a purr-fect solution: a live video feed from her pets’ automated feeder.
Niederholtmeyer, who teaches in Fort Worth, Texas, often shares stories about her two-year-old brother cats, Orzo and Ziti, with her class. But after months of hearing, “I wish we could meet your cats!” she decided to get creative.
“I don’t have my own kids, and they’re my company at home,” Niederholtmeyer told PEOPLE. “As soon as the school year starts, my class knows all about my cats.”
From Classroom to Cat Cam
The breakthrough came when Niederholtmeyer purchased a Petlibro Granary Camera Feeder, which allows her to dispense food remotely via a phone app—and includes a built-in camera. While checking on Orzo and Ziti during the day, she realized her students would love watching them too.
Now, when her class earns a behavior reward, Niederholtmeyer projects the feeder’s live feed onto the classroom screen. With a tap on her phone, she releases a treat, and the students cheer as the cats scamper into view.
“They thought it was amazing,” she said. “The kids were full of giggles.”
Viral Reaction
A TikTok clip of the students’ delighted squeals—captioned “Teacher tip: let your students feed your pets a treat as a reward”—racked up over 2 million views. Commenters praised the idea as “motivating” and “so cool.”
For Niederholtmeyer, the setup offers more than just fun. “It’s a great way to connect, not only with my cats but to build stronger relationships with my students,” she said. Plus, it reassures her while she’s away: “I love being able to check on them.”
Her first graders may see it as a game, but for their teacher, it’s a win-win: happy cats, engaged kids, and one less mystery about life outside the classroom.
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