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Writer's pictureKathleen for Paskapoo

Keeping seniors and their cats together.

Updated: Jun 19

Assistance is available from Paskapoo Pet Services.

An elderly woman feeding a cat in a kitchen

In today’s world, cats are living longer, healthier lives, sometimes reaching up to 20 years old! As our parents and grandparents enter their retirement years and consider moving into retirement homes, they want their companion cats to remain by their side.


However, as their ability to care for their kitties diminishes - whether due to physical limitations like difficulty cleaning the litter box, navigating stairs, or driving to vet appointments, or cognitive challenges like dementia - maintaining the same level of care can become a struggle. This often leads to issues like overfeeding, underfeeding, or neglecting essential needs like water, grooming, and veterinary care.


Families are often faced with a difficult decision: either provide ongoing help with pet care themselves or try to rehome the animals. While we completely understand the burden that caring for your parents' pets can represent (on top of everything else!), there are incredible benefits to keeping the cat(s) with their senior owners instead of rehoming them.


An elderly man kissing a cat

❤ Cats offer invaluable companionship, emotional support, and a sense of routine to their senior owners.


❤ They encourage social interactions, provide a sense of security, and connect their senior owners to past memories.


❤ Furthermore, the presence of a familiar animal can alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression, common challenges in retirement residences.


For many people, a home is not a home without a cat!

More and more retirement communities and senior homes are recognizing these benefits and are now allowing residents to keep their cats when they move in. Retaining the companionship of a cherished cat can make the transition to a retirement residence a more positive experience.

Wish to learn more about the benefits of animal companionship with older adults? Read this article from the University of Calgary! https://www.ucalgary.ca/news/better-aging-pets-old

At Paskapoo Pet Services, we’ve developed a unique service specifically tailored for clients in retirement residences and senior homes, including those with dementia. Our gentle approach ensures that kitties receive the proper care and attention they need while being respectful of their elderly owners. We can provide services on an ongoing, on-call, or occasional basis. If a senior needs to be away from home or is hospitalized, we can arrange immediate care, providing peace of mind for everyone involved.


A group of elderly people with a cat in the centre

Paskapoo Pet Services is here to offer a valuable resource in the NW of Calgary, ensuring that our seniors can remain with their cats and that these kitties can continue living long and happy lives 😊


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