Iris Grace Halmshaw is a 6-year-old girl from the UK. In 2011 she was diagnosed with a severe case of autism. Her parents struggled to find the proper treatment for their daughters condition. After school did not go well for Iris her parents searched desperately for a solution. Her mother learned through research that some children with autism will connect with Animals. Her mother tried both a dog and a horse, neither worked. That’s when she found Thula.
“Thula loved all the things that Iris found difficult, It was like heaven.” – Mother
Arabella Carter-Johnson, Iris’s mother, accidentally discovered an animal that Iris definitely connected with while babysitting a relative’s pet over the Christmas holiday. Iris really liked her Uncle’s cat. That’s when Arabella began searching online for a breed that would fit well with an Autistic Child. After significant research, they determined they wanted a Maine Coon. Maine coons are native to America, and are known as the “Gentle Giants” of the cat world.
And from the first night they knew they picked the right companion for their daughter. Thula the Maine Coon cat cradled in Iris’s arms the first night when Iris went to sleep. Thula didn’t mind when Iris touched her Whiskers or her tail. I can personally vouch for this, my Maine Coon was the same way. Iris hated baths and showers because of resenting the feeling of anything touching her skin, but she’d soon be over this as her new companion would go with her in the shower:
Slowly but surely Iris began to open up more and more. Thula would stay by her site when she slept, painted, rode a bike, swam in the pool, or played in the yard. They are inseparable. If Iris becomes impatient in the car, Thula walks over and sits on her lap to calm her down. If she has difficulty during the day or wakes up at night, Thula will distract her until she settles down again. Thula really watches out for Iris.
The cat even sleeps with Iris, as if Thula is watching over her!
Iris is enjoying life more thanks to her feline companion. She spends a lot of her free time painting, you can view her amazing artwork online on her facebook page, or you can read the book her mother just released about the amazing daughter-kitten combo.
