Matching Homeless Cats to Single, Elderly People Living Alone



 Research and special projects are going on now examining the benefits of pet ownership on mental and emotional health in older adults living alone. Research participants are being matched with homeless foster cats and will be assessed throughout the study to determine whether having a pet in the home leads to changes in quality of life. Areas that will be assessed include:



  • loneliness
  • emotional well-being
  • purpose of life
  • attachment
  • comfort

Researchers hope to propose a unique solution to hep older adults living alone establish new social bonds with the homeless foster cats. They hope to find improvements in mental and behavioral health such as a reduction in loneliness and depression and that an attachment to the cat will increase the human's desire to actual adoption.


Researchers hope to sort of kill two birds with one stone: Help for the elderly and help for homeless cats. The majority of people living alone are 75 years or older. Many of these people spend their days inside the home. It is hard for these who are single to maintain social connections, plan meals or engage in other health promoting activities. Once they have a pet in the home they have a reason to get up and do things and a sense of purpose. The pet becomes something to care for who depends upon them. Researchers also believe older adults who live alone are ideal foster parents because they can give the cat love and a lot more individualized attention that people who work and are away from the house 9 or more hours per day.


If the research proves successful it creates a huge win for both elderly people and homeless cats!

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