Dog and cat owners over the age of 50 show a slower decline in cognitive function than those without pets. This is according to the results of a large European study published in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature).
Researchers found that dog owners retain their memory longer, while cat owners have a slower loss of verbal activity. The researchers attribute this to several factors. Interaction with animals requires constant participation and serves as a kind of “mental training”. For example, contact with a dog activates the prefrontal cortex, increases attention and emotional response. Cats, on the other hand, due to their unpredictability, stimulate areas associated with speech and thinking.
Owning birds or Pisces, the study found, had no statistically significant association with slowing cognitive decline.
The analysis was based on data from the eight-wave Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) study from 2004 to 2022. The sample included people aged 50 years and older. Cognitive function was assessed in two main areas: episodic memory (the ability to remember and recall both immediate and delayed events) and executive function (e.g. verbal speed – the ability to quickly select words of a particular category).
According to the authors, the findings may be useful in the development of “healthy ageing” policies. This could include supporting programmes that facilitate pet ownership by older people, as well as incorporating this topic into government and social care and psychosocial support initiatives.