Fostering a bond between felines and senior adults

How does fostering shelter cats reduce loneliness and improve mental health for older adults living independently? A study supported by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) provides insights.

The organization explores the role of the human-animal bond in the health and wellbeing of humans and pets as well as in cultures and communities, using science, education and advocacy.¹ In a dvm360 interview, Lindsey Braun, vice president of research and operations for HABRI, discussed results of research into what happens when older, independent adults foster shelter cats, and how this human-animal bond can be mutually beneficial to felines and humans.

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The following is a transcript of this video:

Lindsey Braun: [HABRI] funded a study from the University of Georgia that essentially, it was a program that was implemented pairing older adults living independently alone with foster cats, so cats from shelters, and seeing if that interaction, that relationship, had an impact on their mental health and wellbeing. The study, interestingly, provided veterinary care throughout the entire—I think was a yearlong—study. There was some startup like supplies, like litter toys, that was provided too—­kind of removing some barriers to just them getting the cat. And they, the senior adults, did get to choose the cat that they were fostering.

[The investigators] were able to show that, particularly at 4 months after [receiving the cat], the older adults saw a significant decrease in loneliness, and after the full course of the study, I think it was about, 96% of the participants ended up adopting their foster cat permanently, which was lovely.

So, the bond was basically instantaneous. I think they want to continue the work and look even at like physical health. Because I think, anecdotally, they have lovely footage and videos of older adults walking their cat, and the cat's like on the bottom of their Walker in their hallway, or they've got like signs on their door that has the picture of the cat and the name, like, ‘welcome.’ And they're playing with the cat and toys. So the activity, then that care and that interaction also facilitated. They want to look at like physical health too, but [the results are] just like, really wonderful, and just demonstrating that this population in particular is great.

The shelters should consider maybe working with facilities with older adults like to foster [cats]. Their fostering is a great way to help cats become more adoptable and get more cats a home. So I just love that piece of research, and I hope that it inspires others to do similar work, too.

Reference

Human Animal Bond Research Institute. Our mission. Human Animal Bond Research Institute. Accessed February 17, 2026. https://habri.org/about/mission-vision/