Older adults who are living alone may sometimes feel lonely. One way to alleviate their loneliness is by getting them a pet to share their home with. However, for some seniors, a dog may be more work than they can handle. If that’s the case for your aging relative, why not consider a cat? Now, you might be thinking, “A cat? But they aren’t as affectionate as dogs. Would a cat really be a good companion?” Well, a new study shows that cats need their humans just as much as dogs do and form just as strong of attachments.
Cat Attachment Study
To find out how attached cats become to their owners, researchers at the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University in Corvallis gave cats the same sort of attachment test used on dogs and babies to test human bonding. To conduct the test, researchers placed a cat and their caregiver in a new environment for two minutes. Then, the caregiver left, leaving the cat alone in the room for two minutes. Finally, the caregiver returned for another two minutes. Researchers observed that cats who had a secure bond with their owner kept on exploring even when the caregiver returned. Those that didn’t exhibited signs of stress and either avoided the person or became overly clingy.
The results of the study showed that about 65 percent of cats form a strong bond with their humans. That’s approximately the same level of attachment shown by both dogs and babies. They also said that the results didn’t change for insecure cats even after 6 weeks of socialization training.
The takeaway here seems to be that if your older family member is adopting a cat, the best way to ensure a strong bond is to look for a cat that seems confident and secure upon meeting.
Choose a cat that is comfortable being held by the senior and seeks out interaction without being too clingy. Explain to the people at the shelter or rescue what you are looking for in a cat, so they can assist in finding one that will be the perfect fit.
How Senior Care Can Help Seniors Care for Cats
Perhaps you’re wondering whether your aging relative will be able to take care of a cat on their own. If so, the good news is that senior care can assist with basic pet care. A senior care provider can remind the older adult to feed and water the cat, helping them if needed. Senior care providers can also help with keeping the cat litter box clean. In addition, when the cat needs to visit the veterinarian, the senior care provider can drive the older adult and cat to the vet’s office.
Sources
https://pets.webmd.com/news/20190923/like-kids-and-dogs-your-cat-really-does-need-you
If you or an aging loved-one are considering senior care in Englewood, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today. Call us at (303) 756-9322.
