When it comes to animal-assisted services (AAS), dogs have long dominated this field. However, a new study has found that with their naturally calm and sociable personalities, some cats may thrive in this role too.
For decades dogs have been employed to provide support to individuals with specific needs, offering them physical assistance, emotional support and even alerting them to medical emergencies.
A new study by Washington State University professor Patricia Pendry and colleaguesin Belgium revealed that some cats have behavioral traits that make them naturally suitable for service roles.
The researchers surveyed cat owners across Belgium using a standardized behavioral assessment, and were able to identify some key differences between cats participating in AAS and other cats in terms of feline behavior.
“There’s this perception that cats just aren’t suitable for this kind of work, but our study shows that some cats may thrive in these settings,” Pendry said in a statement.
“It turns out that cats chosen to engage in AAS seem to exhibit the same behavioral traits as therapy dogs — like high sociability and a willingness to engage with people.”
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Cats in AAS roles tend to be more social with both humans and other cats, more attention-seeking and more tolerant of being handled, including being picked up, which is not that common among felines.
However, while dogs can be trained for this position, cats can’t. Therapy cats appear to just naturally possess the necessary personality traits for the role, which as noted by Pendry, are not related to their breed.
It is still unclear whether these traits are innate to some cats, or developed through experience. There are also still questions on whether therapy work can negatively impact feline welfare.
“The goal of the study isn’t to suddenly promote cats into therapy work. It’s about recognizing that some cats may genuinely enjoy this kind of interaction and, in the right setting, can provide meaningful support to people who need it,” Pendry said.
While more work is needed for therapy cats to become a mainstream option, the study suggests that including felines in therapy programs could make it more accessible to a wider range of people.
Other species used in animal-assisted services include capuchin monkeys, who can provide support to people with severe impairments to their mobility.
Furthermore, an experimental program is also training miniature horses to guide the visually impaired in the same way that guide dogs do.
The tiny horses might be used as an alternative for people who are allergic to dogs, or with those who are more comfortable around horses.
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