For many elderly people, moving into a retirement community or care facility means being separated from their beloved pets. A lot of these individuals are lonely, and miss the companionship of their furry friends. Many retirement homes and elder care facilities are doing their best to counteract this heartache by bringing in foster kittens for the residents to cuddle and help care for.
This “kitten therapy” is proving immensely beneficial for the residents and the animals alike. Scientific studies show that petting cats is beneficial to one’s health. And the foster kittens, many of whom were rescued from feral colonies, are learning how to trust and receive love from gentle humans.
Residents who suffer from depression benefit greatly from cuddling these kittens. Even those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s seem to cuddle the wee ones on autopilot. Those who had cats all their lives remember what to do, even though they may not remember where they are.
These cat therapy programs are gaining in popularity worldwide. In fact, many residences end up adopting cats so their residents have feline companionship around the clock. Additionally, in some instances, one of the cats will hop up onto the bed of a resident whose health is declining. In Rhode Island, an adopted shelter cat named Oscar always knows when a resident is getting ready to pass. He jumps up onto the bed, curls up beside the patient, and purrs softly.
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Therapy Kittens Bring Joy to All Who Cuddle Them
Seeing how these elders in care facilities light up when the kittens arrive, it’s no surprise that the program is so popular.
If you have family members in retirement homes, and they don’t have animal therapy established yet, consider asking the director if it can be integrated. It isn’t just the residents who benefit from these programs. Kittens who are socialized with elders are quicker to be adopted, including by the residents’ family members. As a result, every visit home reunites them with the furry friends they fell in love with.
Images © Yelizaveta Tomashevska and © Jixue Yang, via Dreamstime