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Pets and People, Bleu and Cheri, Our Covid Kitties
By Sandra Sokol
Posted: 2021-01-29T17:00:00Z

Aging in Place with Company
In our isolation over the past year, our furry friends and other pets have become an even more important force to our well-being. In these unusual times, many people all around the world have found themselves strangely isolated from family, friends, work colleagues and just about everyone else. Activities outside the home have been few and far between. The unconditional love and attention from these four-legged family members have at this time become increasingly critical in the waiting game.

Technology has proved to be our salvation, keeping us connected to the outside world. Zoom chats, meetings, parties and large events have become the norm. Penn’s Village has done a stellar job in delivering so many virtual Zoom events and its wonderful volunteers have maintained telephone and email check-ins with members. These services are invaluable.  But the lack of physical contact, the hugs and pats, hand and shoulder rubs leave a gap. This is where our pets come in. The eager eyes greeting us at the door, the warm body on our lap or next to our feet in bed, the eye-to-eye contact help us to feel connected.

Although pets are not suited to or recommended for everyone, for many of us, pet ownership provides remarkable benefits. Even the CDC has a section describing the benefits, responsibilities and cautions of pet ownership:
About Pets & People | Healthy Pets, Healthy People | CDC

“There are many health benefits of owning a pet. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize (distantly, of course). Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship.”
We have been pet-free for a decade, deciding not to take in a new pet after always having one or two cats in the house. But six months into Covid we realized there was a missing element in our lives. Not being able to gather with our children, grandchildren and friends, left an empty spot. While virtually connecting to my granddaughter one day, I was sharing the pictures of so many adorable rescue kittens who were looking for furever homes. My granddaughter warned, “Nanny, don’t become a crazy cat lady”. I was just enjoying looking, but shortly thereafter, she was right, I was sucked in. We adopted two kittens, a brother and sister, Bleu and Cheri, 10 weeks old and irresistible. Three months later we are besotted with our new feline family.  How did we manage to stay pet-free for so long?

It turns out that we are not alone. Covid has been a boon to animal rescue centers, as many lucky families and pets have connected during these difficult times. So many of us have been isolated for so long. So many of us have felt a need for something comforting or for a loving companion. Covid has expanded the group of isolated people, from those who are regularly shut in by disability or illness, or adjusting to bereavement, or living alone and feeling lonely, to the countless others who have now been shut in by the restrictions associated with the virus. As the weeks have turned into months and soon into a year, the weight of being alone has grown. As the projected dates for some return to normal are extended, people are looking at their lives and making changes. Adoption of pets has become one of those changes. 

The rescue center where we found our babies, Bleu and Cheri, was very thorough in screening adoptive pet owners. We needed references and a background screening. It came as a great shock to me to learn that, as a person aged above 70, I had to have a younger co-sponsor in order to adopt kittens. Of course, that makes sense and, comically, it gave our son great joy in teasing me that he had to co-sign for me, in this role reversal. Now that we have the kittens and love them to bits, it is good to know that this important plan for a backup home is in place, should our kitties outlive us. Older pets are hard to place in adoptive homes and often spend extended time waiting for a new family.
An additional worry for many pet adoption centers is that recent adopters may find pet ownership burdensome once life does return to normal. Busy work schedules and travel may interfere with the care of a new pet. Also, people new to pet ownership may not have anticipated the amount of time and attention that a new puppy or kitten needs. Most rescue centers try hard to prevent these pets from being abused or thrown out and most centers offer to take back adopted pets if the adoption does not work out for any reason. 

Looking on the bright side of life, the scourge of Covid has exposed some important factors. It has made it abundantly clear to us all, how difficult it can feel to be removed from society. Perhaps this will have a positive impact on awareness of the needs of the groups who are traditionally housebound or lonely. Pets have surfaced as a more important part of many lives, as we hunker down together. We have been made aware that compassion, caring, resilience and adaptability are necessary to get us through this storm and they will bring us out stronger.


Sandra Sokol is retired, after working 25 years as an administrator at the Fox School, Temple University. A long-time Center City resident, along with her husband, she raised her family here. They spend their summers on the beautiful island of Newfoundland, Canada (usually). Sandra enjoys contributing as an administrative volunteer at Penn’s Village.
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