PERSON OF INTEREST

LITTERS OF LOVE

Lori Irby was working at an Anaheim Hills senior living community when she realized her foster kittens could bring comfort to the residents there. by Barbara Neal Varma

How did your therapy program begin? I foster kittens through the ASPCA. When I first started, I didn’t want to leave them home alone, so I asked my boss if it’d be OK to set up a playpen in my office. So many residents came in wanting to hold them. I asked an activity director if we could start a visitation program. Wednesdays (became) Kitten Therapy Days.

Do the ki ens enjoy it, too? Yes, it helps them get socialized. I completed the ASPCA’s “Lion Tamer” training for shy and hissy kittens that would normally have a hard time being adopted out. After they are comfortable with me, I bring them in for the residents to hold, and the kittens get socialized even more. The last batch got to go to Seattle to be with their adopted families.

What is it about ki ens that makes them therapeutic for seniors? A purring kitten is like nothing else. Being

FIND OUT MORE!

Learn about fostering ki ens at aspca.org. able to hold one—it takes your anxiety and stress away. Dogs are great—I love dogs—but you can’t cuddle them and hold them close like you can a kitten. It’s just not the same.

Were you able to keep the program going during the pandemic? Yes, it was a real lifesaver because the Pet Pals dogs couldn’t come in since they were outside vendors. But if we all wore masks and socially distanced, we could still bring the kittens into the grand salon. That got even more residents to show up. Their families weren’t able to visit, and they were lonely. The kittens were a godsend.