The Cat Doctor Veterinary Hospital and Hotel |
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The Human-Animal Bond |
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By Alexis Higdon, DVM |
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My dad passed away on December 29, 2003. He had lost his wife of 59 years one year earlier. When Janie died, he was devastated and over the course of two months, became terribly withdrawn. He rarely smiled or talked, slept much of the time and ate very little. It was as if his zest for life died with the loss of his long time companion. I had heard many stories about couples in long-term relationships who die close together and I could see this trend occurring with my dad. There was no question that he was fading away rapidly and I was helpless to stop the progression. I wasn’t sure I wanted to stop him from leaving, but I did want to help make the quality of his time left, better, if possible. As a veterinarian, I was aware of the human-animal bond. I knew there were benefits for the elderly who owned pets. For instance, seniors with pets are, in general, healthier and go to the doctors less than those without pets. All human beings benefit from physical interaction. Pets are ready sources of warmth and affection through touch and touching. And, socially, being in the presence of a pet encourages friendly responses from passersby. Could my dad benefit from the presence of a cat in his life? He was very introverted and simply did not reach out to others but was desperately lonely for my mom.  Two
months after my mom passed away, I called the closest animal shelter to
where my dad lived. I explained to them my concerns and asked them if they
had an adult cat who was very affectionate, friendly and not afraid of
noises and people. They assured me they had several, but one in particular
that best fit my request. I immediately went to the shelter and met an
adorable brown tabby female cat who cruised over to me, crawled into my lap
and started grooming herself. When I walked in the door with her, my dad was sitting in his recliner smoking his pipe and watching television. He saw his new cat, totally stared at her, transfixed and unbelieving that I had brought a cat home for him. He called her “boy” and she immediately became his constant companion. “Boy” was calm, patient, and in no hurray to do anything or go anywhere without my dad. She was not afraid of his walker or his wheel chair and would ride in his lap or walk along side him when we went for a spin out doors. A shoelace was one of her favorite toys and she would frantically chase it as my dad dragged the string along the floor. He laughed often at her as she pounced and raced after it. “Boy” was also quite fond of her grey, furry toy mouse. My dad would throw it along the carpet or linoleum floor. “Boy” would leap after it, pick it up in her mouth then shake and fling it in the air. Even when my mom was alive, I don’t remember my dad playing and laughing so much. It was as if the sadness in his life had vanished. He loved to brush “Boy” and was completely entranced with her purring and rolling over as he stroked her fur. She in turn would “head-bump” him and rub her face against his. These two really enjoyed each others company and my father’s morale climbed as his sense of loneliness and isolation seemed to evaporate. When I would come to visit, my dad had wonderful stories to tell me about his life with “Boy”. One of my favorite observations was seeing “Boy” sitting next to my dad on the bar stools while breakfast was served. She had her own dish in which my dad placed a little piece of bacon, egg and toast. They even ate together. Dad gained weight and so did “Boy”. To this day, I know my dad never ate as much ice cream as he did that last year of his life. All because of his cat! My dad lived to be 93 years old. He passed away 1 year and two weeks after my mom. I thought I might lose him less than three months after she died. I am certain, without a doubt that he lived as long as he did and had a good time doing it because of his relationship to his cat named “Boy”. Everything I studied and heard about the human-animal bond revealed itself in my observations of my dad and that cat. What is more important than quality of life? A pet can make all the difference! |
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9151 Ustick Rd., Boise, ID 83704 (208) 327-7706 FAX (208) 327-0676 |
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