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A cat-training program for children with developmental disabilities fostered healthy child behaviors, strengthened relationships between children and their family cats and improved cats’ social behavior, a new study found.
“People often underestimate what cats can contribute to human-animal interventions,” said Monique Udell, a professor at Oregon State University who studies human-animal interactions. “This study shows that cats can be active participants rather than passive companions. When children and their cats work together through training, it can strengthen their bond while supporting positive outcomes for both the child and the cat.”
The study, co-led by Udell and Megan MacDonald, a professor of kinesiology at Oregon State, builds on growing interest in animal-assisted interventions to promote physical, psychological and social well-being of people. The interventions are increasingly recognized as a promising approach to help children, including those with physical or learning disabilities or social, emotional or behavioral challenges.
Dogs and horses have received most of the attention. Udell wanted to explore whether cats could play a similar role. She has studied the human-cat bond for more than a decade and has found that cats, like dogs, are a social species and possess many of the same traits, such as the ability to form attachment bonds with humans and the ability to be trained.
