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RIYADH: The cats arrive first \u2014 quiet, curious, and completely unhurried. By the time students step into the studio space, a few are already stretched out in sunny corners or watching the room as if they own it.<\/p>\n
They roam the hall, nap near the mats, and turn a regular wellness class into something softer and more social. For yoga teacher Rayhan Al\u2011Ali, the goal is simple: to help people unwind, without turning the animals into a prop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been practicing yoga since I was 19,\u201d Al\u2011Ali told Arab News. Years of personal practice eventually turned into teaching, first informally and then professionally, as she worked toward certification. She launched Mama Yoga with a focus on gentler, more accessible sessions.<\/p>\n
The idea of pairing yoga with animals didn\u2019t start with cats. Al\u2011Ali had once been offered a chance to volunteer with an animal charity to teach yoga alongside small dogs, but the session was canceled. The concept stayed with her anyway \u2014 less as a gimmick than as a way to make wellness feel approachable and warm.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy chance, I had a friend who had cats he wanted to put up for adoption,\u201d Al\u2011Ali explained. \u201cI suggested the idea: I\u2019ll do a session with your cats, and at the same time we\u2019ll put them up for adoption,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For Al\u2011Ali, it was an obvious fit: she describes herself as a cat lover and rescuer, and she wanted Mama Yoga to be an inviting entry point for people who might not otherwise try yoga.<\/p>\n
Most attendees to her classes in Riyadh are beginners, and that shapes how \u201cGentle Yoga with Kittens\u201d is built. The pace is intentionally slow, the postures are simple, and the tone is light \u2014 an approach that often helps first-timers settle in quickly.<\/p>\n
She said people are often surprised by how quickly they relax and that she notices an immediate difference in the room when the kittens begin wandering \u2014 less stiffness, more laughter, fewer worries about getting every pose exactly right.<\/p>\n
That atmosphere can also make the class feel more social than a typical studio session.<\/p>\n
Al\u2011Ali said she often hears the same questions after class: \u201cWhen is the next session?\u201d and \u201cWhen will new classes be announced?\u201d The excitement, she said, is part of what keeps people coming back \u2014 because the experience feels friendly rather than intimidating.<\/p>\n
\u201cA participant walked into class, and the first thing she said was: \u2018Where\u2019s the orange cat?\u2019\u201d Al\u2011Ali said. That orange cat has become a minor celebrity among regulars, she added, the kind of detail that turns a one-off wellness class into a story people retell.<\/p>\n
Still, Al\u2011Ali runs her sessions with strict boundaries. She said she gives safety instructions before every class and keeps the cats at a distance, rather than letting them cluster around the mats. This protects the cats, prevents accidents as participants transition between poses, and keeps the session focused.<\/p>\n
Some participants have asked to have the cats beside them during the class, but she refuses, explaining that the goal is to maintain a safe environment and preserve the integrity of the yoga session.<\/p>\n
She is equally firm about another request she receives: whether participants can bring their own cats. Al\u2011Ali said she does not allow it because unfamiliar cats typically do not adapt to one another quickly, and forcing that interaction into a new space would likely stress the animals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a real yoga session \u2014 not a place where we scare the cats and get distracted too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
For now, Mama Yoga is not tied to a single permanent address. Al\u2011Ali said she hopes to have a dedicated studio in the future, but at present she rents studio space by the hour and shares the location when she announces each session.<\/p>\n
For updates, she directs people to Instagram @mamaa.yoga, where she posts session announcements and handles bookings through direct messages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n