Luxury hotel in UAE hires 8 cats to help staff keep stress at bay

Dubai: A luxury hotel in the UAE has employed eight cats to help its employees beat work-related stress, a media report said on Monday.

The Abu Dhabi-based hotel said the felines were recruited as part of its ‘office cat’ policy to assist employees in unwinding and increasing productivity.

Guests visiting the hotels can also play with the friendly cats that are quick to warm up to all, Gulf News reported.

Jannah Hotels and Resorts said that so far, the cats have been employed at the hotel's head office located in Abu Dhabi.

Nehme Imad Darwiche, chief executive officer and founder of the company said, "Studies reflect that nurturing pets in an office environment increases office communication and lowers the stress of its professionals significantly. We identify as a team that harbours a deep love for felines and consider our pets as a vital part of the Jannah family".

"In an industry like tourism and hospitality where long hours are common, having pets around helps everyone maintain a positive and motivated attitude. Whether our cats are dozing on our laps, lounging on a desk, or peeking at us from around our computers, their presence is accompanied with a healing effect," Darwiche said.

Last month, an IT firm in Tokyo hired nine cats at the request of employees to help them fight stress, the report added.