2/26/2015 Furry friends slip into healing roles - Singapore Premium News - The Straits Times

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Thursday, Feb 26, 2015

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NEWS PREMIUM LIFESTYLE TECH COMMUNITIES VIDEO MULTIMEDIA MORE

BY KOK XING HUI

Furry friends slip into healing rolesCats bring cheer at two hospitals

(http://w w w .straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20150224/ST_20150224_XHCAT24_1088859e.jpg)

Madam Hajjah Jahara Ahmad enjoying the company of a cat at Ren Ci Nursing Home. The cat therapy

programme there is run by the Love Kuching Project. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

DOGS have been doing it for years. Now the

more aloof cats are popping up in therapy

sessions to cheer patients up too.

At least two community hospitals hold regular

cat therapy programmes and a few other

groups are thinking of doing the same.

The Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital

started its programme in early 2013, while

Ren Ci Nursing Home in Moulmein began its

version last April.

Ren Ci @ Bukit Batok Street 52, the charity's newest nursing home, will also start a cat

therapy programme in June.

Cat therapy is touted to bring emotional, social and physical benefits to the patients.

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The human-animal interaction helps with relaxation and healing, said Mr Damien Ooi, former

administrator of Ren Ci Nursing Home, who is now in charge of Ren Ci's Bukit Batok branch.

He said: "The cats also act as companions to help in the recovery from medical conditions

such as depression and anxiety, and help lower blood pressure.

"Our nursing home residents have been shown to be more alert and smile more often during

and after the cat therapy."

Patients at Ren Ci Nursing Home look forward to having around 10 friendly, docile cats

brought to them by volunteers for three hours once a month.

Miss Elaine Chiam, 36, president of the Love Kuching Project, which runs the cat therapy

sessions there on a voluntary basis, said it would call for volunteers for each session.

Cat owners fill in a form indicating their pets' temperament and health. Only those that are

extroverted, sterilised and vaccinated make the cut. The cats are fed with herbal, non-

pharmaceutical supplements before the sessions to keep them calm.

Mr Salim Abdul Salam, 55, a patient at Ren Ci Nursing Home, swears by the healing power

of these furry creatures. "Since the cats have been here, my pains are all gone. They make

you happy."

A fellow patient, Madam Hajjah Jahara Ahmad, 85, said as she cradled a Persian cat called

Dusty 2: "I wish it happens more often."

At Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital, patients get fortnightly visits from their feline friends.

Cat-Assisted Therapy Singapore (Cats), which runs the programme there for free, sets up

petting, kitten and grooming stations in the lobby area for 30 to 40 patients.

Cats co-founder Belinda Chong said the number of cats it uses has grown from just two to 10.

She said she thought of getting her cat involved in therapy after seeing the good her dog

does working with Therapy Dogs Singapore.

Dogs have long been involved in therapy work here. Last November, they were at the

National University of Singapore to help students unwind during the exam period.

The cat therapy groups said their programmes could likely be extended to other health- care

institutions such as the National Kidney Foundation, Institute of Mental Health, and the Asian

Women's Welfare Association.

Mr James Tan, 26, a civil servant and first-time volunteer at Love Kuching Project, said: "It's

quite meaningful bringing the activity to the elderly. I will definitely be bringing Dusty back for

more."

kxinghui@sph.com.sg (mailto:kxinghui@sph.com.sg)

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