"[During the test] they held him, petted him, pulled him about, flipped him," Mr. Humber said. "They really tried to get a rise out of him." Ms. Morgan said pet therapy has been proven to benefit patients by lowering blood pressure and relieving tension. "[Being with the animals also] releases the same hormone as eating a piece of chocolate," she said. She said the pet therapy program helps patients emotionally, socially and physically. "It may be simply to help them to be able to love, cuddle and talk about their own animal," she said. Patients really miss their animals, [and this] gives them a chance to focus on a positive situation."
Ms. Morgan said there is a notice board in the hospital where pictures of the animals are displayed for patients to see. A patient who had a poor memory as a result of a brain injury saw Poobah on the notice board during the week, Mr. Humbcr said. And when he brought Poobah to the hospital Friday, the patient remembered the cat, he said. "It creates a spark in them that they hold on to," he said. Older patients with physical disabilities are able to practice movement by taking a collar on and off the cat or petting it. "The animals are able to give something back to the patients," Ms. Morgan said.
Khambrel Green, 34, a patient at Siskin, said he fell in love with Poobah and wants to get his own Scottish Fold. Since the pet therapy program has mostly dogs. Mr. Green said, it was nice to have a cat visit. "It's amazing," Mr. Green said. "No matter what person holds him, he's calm." Mr. Humber said his favorite part of the program is being able to help patients. "It's great for [Poobah] to be able to give back, especially because all he does is sleep at home," he said.
Ms. Morgan said that testing the animals ensures against attacks or disease, but Mr. Humber said with animals there is always the possibility for something to go wrong. "Right now [Poobah] hasn't done anything to say he has had enough, but there is always that day he might just decide to run screaming from the hospital," he said.
Scottish Fold's were made popular by writer and publisher Peter Gethers, Mr. Humber said. Mr. Gethers had a Scottish Fold named Norton who inspired three books, including "The Cat Who Went to Paris." Mr. Humber said when Norton died, he became the first and only cat to have an obituary in The New York Times.
E-mail Chloe Morrison at cmorrison@timesfreepress.com. For more information about Scottish Fold cats, visit www.randomhouse.com/featurcs/nortonthecat/author.html.
Reprinted with permission.