Pets can boost health, quality of life for seniors

Forget the dog days of summer – for me, it’s all about the cats. As I put Mona on the bed with her special blanket, underneath the ceiling fan to keep her cool, I thought how different, and yes empty, my life would be without her and Dixie, who spends her days napping in the window.

I thought of all the other cats who don’t have a soft bed to lie on, a window perch or an owner who sings to them.

These thoughts prompted me to call Bobbie Fowler and Margaret Baker at the Animal Orphanage, a no-kill, strays-only shelter serving Orono and Old Town, to see if they needed anything.

“Well, we need people to adopt,” said Baker. “We have about 55 cats and a few dogs just waiting to go to a good and loving home.”

That’s a bit more than I can handle, so I asked what else might be needed.

“We have a wish list with things that we need all the time,” said Baker. “For example, we need Cat’s Pride cat litter, Purina dry cat and dog food, bleach (they use about a gallon a day to disinfect the shelter), hard chew toys for dogs and paper towels. And especially, they need Friskies turkey and giblets canned cat food. I have been going to the store every day to get it because we are using so much of it. It’s great because it’s a staple that we use for the kittens and the adults. Everyone loves it. Canned Whiskas turkey and giblets is good, too.”

With my list of things to donate firmly in hand, I still couldn’t stop thinking about adoption and seniors who may be in need of some furry companionship.

In fact, I talked to an older woman recently who said she had a new lease on life because of her kitten. She and her husband couldn’t believe how wonderful it was to have the little girl around, and how she filled their home with life. A kitten may not be the best choice for a senior, but in this case, it worked out beautifully.

Rochelle Black, adoption and volunteer services manager for the Bangor Humane Society, is glad to hear it.

“Having pets definitely increases the quality of life and emotional health for seniors,” she said. “Just petting an animal can reduce loneliness of a senior whose family lives far away, and the unconditional love and commitment pets give to their owners can be like therapy. Right now, we have more than 200 cats and 70-plus dogs that need a home.”

Pets can bring new meaning and purpose to the life of a senior, as well as fostering a sense of well-being. And providing a loving home to a companion animal also helps elderly people remain active and stay healthy, said Stephanie Monk, veterinarian with Veazie Veterinarian Clinic.

“In the past several years, studies have confirmed what we have believed all along – that pets are not only a joy, but can positively affect our health,” she said. “Lowered heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety, not to mention the fact that having a companion around to talk to, makes us feel good.”

She’s right, and I confess, I melt when one of my girls meows at me. All the tensions of the world can be drowned out by the purr of a contented cat. It just makes everything seem right. And waking up with a paw in the face is a good way to start the day – well, most of the time.

But while it’s medically documented that companion animals help people live longer and healthier lives, remember to make arrangements for the animal should you no longer be able to care for it. Also, when you are considering a pet for an elderly loved one, make sure the senior is of the same mind and really wants a pet. While a surprise party may be fun, a surprise pet is not.

So, if you are looking for a new little friend, call your local shelter, or if you’d like to help out with a wish list donation, call the Animal Orphanage at 827-8777. The Bangor Humane Society has a similar wish list but also needs blankets.

“We will take any old blanket, the condition doesn’t matter,” said Black. “The animals aren’t fussy.” Call the Bangor Humane Society at 942-8902 for more information.

Many shelters are overrun with homeless animals, and would love to have your support. Let’s face it – a house without a couple of cats is just, well, a house. Adopt a pet and make your house a home.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.