Release Date: 08/06/2012

Redwood and Oakland are the cats whiskers!

The charity Cats Protection will soon be visiting the Woodville Centre in Ham to find out more about the beneficial benefits of cats to those suffering from dementia.

The visit follows the arrival of Redwood and Oakland – two tabby cats who moved into the day care centre last February.

Cats Protection’s Advocacy Manager, Jacqui Cuff, is interested to learn how the cats have settled in, hear about their interaction with clients and understand how pet therapy can help people with dementia.

Cllr Nicola Urquhart, Richmond Council Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing said: “Redwood and Oakland have become great additions to the Woodville family and have made themselves right at home.

“Pet therapy has been proven as a way of helping people with dementia. Pets can ease loneliness, reduce stress, promote social interaction and playfulness, and provide people with unconditional love and affection.

Both of the cats at Woodville are very companionable and can often be found curled up quietly on a chair or indeed being pampered on the lap of one of the clients. I am sure that Jacqui will be impressed with how they have settled in and will understand that introducing the cats brightens the day of many people at the centre.”

According to a recent Cats Protection survey, 87 per cent of people who owned a cat felt it had a positive impact on their wellbeing, while 76 per cent said they could cope with everyday life much better thanks to the company of their feline friends.

“Following these findings, we are looking at how we can encourage more day centres and residential care homes across the UK to consider having a cat or two,” Jacqui Cuff, added. “As a charity that helps over 235,000 cats and kittens each year, we have around 6,200 cats in our care at any one time so there are plenty to choose from if they chose to get adopt a rescue cat!”