Much research has focused on dogs, but this study is one of the first to show that feline companions are also useful
No one needs science to tell them that dogs are loyal and loving companions. Cats, on the other hand, can use the approval. The University of Georgia and Brenau University have provided just thata pilot studyproving that fostering a cat can alleviate loneliness among older adults.
Susan Cannone, one of 29 participants in the study, responded to an advertisem*nt in 2020 seeking human subjects to care for shelter cats. Volunteers had to be 60 years or older and live alone with no other pets in the home.
“I couldn't bear to come home to nothing but the house,” Cannone said. “If someone you know is waiting for you and is happy to see you, it makes all the difference.”
Susan Cannone at Starbucks. (Photo: Amy Carter)
After passing a cognitive test and assessments of her physical and mental health, Cannone became a co-researcherSherry Sanderson, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Biomedical Sciences, brought Cannone to the Athens Area Humane Society to select a cat. Sanderson went straight to a kennel with kittens with a warning sign that read, "Don't touch us." We're stressed.' She pulled out a male cat that, in her expert opinion, didn't look stressed at all. Cannone saw him, he saw her, "and that was it," she recalled. "It was love at first sight."
Loneliness is an epidemic
In May 2023, the US Surgeon General published a study calling loneliness and isolation an epidemic.Kerstin Emerson, clinical associate professor at the College of Public Health's Institute of Gerontology, Health Policy & Management and co-investigator on the UGA study, said the report highlighted the urgent need for a cure.
“While there are many causes of loneliness, we know there are interventions that can help,” she said. “We wanted to know if a cat shelter program could be an intervention that could help older adults who experience loneliness.”
Sanderson said cats are a good option for older adults because they are more self-sufficient than dogs, but still social enough to engage their owners in play and conversation. Unlike dogs, they don't require walks or intense exercise, making them good companions for owners with arthritis, heart disease and other health problems.
Frankie was raised by Marion Newburn as part of the study. (Photo: Amy Carter)
Don Scott, campus director of geriatrics and palliative care and associate professor of medicine at Augusta University-University of Georgia Medical Partnership and co-investigator on the study, said the UGA study adds to the growing body of research documenting the benefits of pet ownership indicates. "While much such research has focused on dogs, our study is the first to demonstrate that cat companionship can reduce feelings of loneliness in older adults," Scott said.
The preliminary research was funded by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute with additional support from Nestlé Purina Pet Care in the form of cat food and litter. Now that the pilot study has shown that the concept works, Sanderson said she hopes a broader study will be funded and approved in the future.
Bonding with a pet can improve health
Sherry Sanderson, professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine, at Starbucks. (Photo: Amy Carter)
Volunteers agreed to care for kittens or cats for a minimum of four months, with the option to adopt after the first month. Participants were asked to quantify the comfort they received from their cats and the perceived effect the cats had on their physical and mental well-being in surveys administered in the first and fourth months of their participation in the study. For those who adopted, a third survey measured their satisfaction after 12 months. During the study, veterinary care and food were provided, and adoption fees were paid for those who decided to keep their foster cats, eliminating the financial barriers that often prevent older adults from adopting pets.
Scott said that attachment to a pet appears to mediate the relationship between loneliness and general health in older women. However, not all older adults are able to cope with the physical or cognitive demands of pet ownership, and there are potential risks, such as bites, scratches or falls.
"So pet ownership should be carefully considered in the context of an older adult's health status, for both human and animal well-being," Scott said.
By all accounts, Frankie – aka Mama's Best Baby, Boyfriend, Darling, Angel – is a perfect match for Marion Newburn. The male tabby was selected by Sanderson under the guidance of Newburn, who named the cat Frankie after her second husband, Frank Collins.
At best, cats can be strategic lovers, gregarious with their humans when food or attention is needed – from them. As a rule, they are not generally as obedient as dogs, but Frankie eagerly responds to Newburn's call for 'love ins' when she sits down on the sofa to read in the evening. He will provide hours of entertainment, especially if he has had a good dose of catnip. He must help his team rid the house of insects.
It's also a perk that Starbucks brought Cannone's cat to her house. He once caught a small snake that had crept into the house.
“I can hardly wait to get home,” Cannone said of life since adopting Starbucks. If he's not in the room when she walks in, he'll come running as soon as he hears her.
– Lauren Baggett and Amy H. Carter
Published on December 7, 2023.
