Purrfect furry felines brightened a morning for residents in a St Albans care home by meowing, playing, and being petted recently.
Four kittens visited Grace Muriel House for a morning on May 9 as part of Abbeyfield St Albans Society pet month, which is designed to connect older people through interactions with animals.
Engaging with animals has been shown to lower blood pressure, release serotonin, and help with memory - potentially sparking childhood flashbacks in older people.
They can also give the residents a sense of purpose through caretaking.
Grace Muriel’s activities coordinator, Siouxsie Liddle, said: “It was a real delight to have the kittens in for the morning. They were so cute and even residents who aren’t massively into animals came to play with them.
“I didn’t see a single person without a smile on their face; it really was perfect.”
The pet month is part of Abbeyfield’s national Golden Moments campaign, where special events and activities are organised to try and enrich communities.
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