Ginger Grrrl tells us why cats and senior citizens are a match made in heaven.
Dear Human,
There are many reasons why we cats make great pets for older people, otherwise known as senior citizens. You all know we cats sleep most of the day. So, we’re not going to be demanding a lot of action from people who are old, have pain, and/or have physical difficulties. For instance, we cats use the toilet facilities on our own, unlike those clueless dogs who have to be taken outside to defecate in public.
I did some research, gentle human, and it turns out that, when it comes to helping old people, we cats are like a magic pill! When over 2,000 seniors were asked about their pets, here’s what they said [1]:
- 88% agreed that “Pets help me enjoy life”
- 86% agreed that “Pets make me feel loved”
- 79% agreed that “Pets reduce my stress levels”
- 73% agreed that “Pets provide a sense of purpose
- 34% agreed that “Pets help take my mind off of my pain”
- Among those who lived alone and/or with health issues, 72% agreed that “Pets pets help me cope with physical or emotional symptoms”
Dearest human, did you know that many older people, especially those who are single or widowed, are so lonely that they become depressed and think that no one loves them? Research shows that older people with pets are much less depressed and lonely than those without pets [2]. One researcher even said that, among seniors who live alone, cats take the place of a human significant other [3]. And so it’s no surprise that seniors with pets make 21% fewer doctor visits than seniors without pets.[4]
And, as you probably know, we cats are unsurpassed when it comes to love and companionship. Frankly, what old person couldn’t benefit from his own bundle of love?
Now For A Cat’s Perspective
Now, let’s talk about our viewpoint. Let me tell you, we cats LOVE senior humans. First of all, most seniors are retired. For us, that means love and attention twenty-four hours a day! Another reason, lots of seniors spend their evenings cuddled up in front of a TV or computer. From my perspective, there’s nothing better than spending my night in the lap of my favorite human. And when it comes to getting treats, let’s just say that cats with senior human caretakers are living the good life.
Of course, we do hear some creaks and groans when our senior caretakers bend down to feed us or scoop our litter. Some of our seniors have walkers which makes it even harder to care for us. Worse, some seniors get told that they must go into assisted care facilities and fear they may not be able to bring their best friend.
Sources of Help for Seniors
Here are a few ways we can help cats stay with their elderly humans:
Seniors, look for ways to make caring for your cat easier. For instance, you could buy a lighter-weight kitty litter. Perhaps you could talk your cat into eating from a tabletop. And maybe you can find a mobile pet clinic and bring the vet to your home. Some mobile clinics even deliver pet food.
Seniors, there’s nothing wrong with asking a neighbor or relative for assistance. Are you able to hire a helper to support your cat care? A pet-sitting company may be able to help. If you’re homebound and short on cash, programs are springing up that provide free pet services, like veterinary care and free cat food, cat litter, and grooming, For example:
- A great resource for seniors in the USA who are on a fixed income is the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets Grant Program. These amazing people want to help homebound seniors keep their pets. Learn more at Meals on Wheels
- The Pets for the Elderly Foundation wants to connect old people with companion cats! They will pay the fees to participating animal shelters for people aged 60 and over to adopt a pet (from the participating shelter). They also may be able to help fund veterinary services, food shortage support, home visits, and grooming to help the seniors care for the cat they adopted. Learn more at PetsForTheElderly.org
- Search for other sources of financial assistance. Financial aid for seniors and for pet owners in general) may be available from local organizations for elderly people or from animal welfare groups. For example, the Seniors for Pets program in southwest Florida helps homebound seniors with the costs of annual vet exams and vaccines.
3. Young people, now I’m talking to you!
- Teenagers, lots of you can’t afford a pet or maybe your parents won’t let you get one. I bet that there’s a senior in your neighborhood who needs some help caring for her pet.
- Younger adults, there may be an older person who needs help taking care of his cat. Maybe an older person would like you to help find free programs for them. You will be doing a tremendous service for them and for their cat, too.
In Summary…
Listen. We cats love our humans. We don’t want to lose them just because they have difficulty scooping our litter. Let’s find a way to help cats stay with our people, where we belong.
Do you know someone who would enjoy visits from a Therapy Cat? Do you have a cat who’d made a great therapist? Learn more at Animal-Assisted Therapy at The Doctor is In
Have a comment? Another suggestion for helping seniors?
Please share your thoughts below.
REFERENCES
- Janevic M, Solway E, Malani P, Singer D, Kirch M, Kullgren J, Connell, C. How Pets Contribute to Healthy Aging. University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. April 2019. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/148428
- Stanley, I. H., Conwell, Y., Bowen, C., & Van Orden, K. A. (2014). Pet Ownership may Attenuate Loneliness Among Older Adult Primary Care Patients Who Live Alone. Aging & Mental Health, 18(3), 394–399. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944143/
- Turner DC, Rieger G. Singly living people and their cats: a study of human mood and subsequent behavior. Anthrozoös. (2001) 14:38–46. doi: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/089279301786999652
- Siegel, J.M. (1990). Stressful life events and use of physician services among the elderly: The moderating role of pet ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 1081-1086. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2391640/
We also have a program called Pets for Seniors by the Pets for the Elderly Foundation, that helps seniors with adoption fees. I don’t know if that is a local program or national but it sounds like a great deal. It works with shelters to reduce the adoption fee for pets.
I’ve had three different pet therapy cats and all did a wonderful job.
The Pets for the Elderly Foundation is wonderful! Glad that you’ve heard about them. We can spread the word about great organizations like this. – Ginger and Mewla
Excellent article.
Thank you, Cathy.
These are great tips for helping seniors with pet care, Mewla! I consider this a very important topic and I’m glad to see it addressed here. Everyone, even younger people with pets, needs to consider what to do in circumstances of older age and/or, lesser abilities.
Thank you, Leah. Please share with others who might benefit from knowing about these resources : )
I didn’t know about all of these organization that help seniors with pets. Thank you for this article.
You are welcome, Logan.
Great article! Cats are the best and so good for your health. They are comforting, calm, loving, and sweet. Yes Ginger, let’s make sure that cats stay with their people, where they belong.
Glad you liked the article, DR.