Knaresborough Rotary Club has delivered a ‘litter’ of 27 robotic cats to the charity Dementia Forward.
The charity, which is funded by North Yorkshire County Council, provides dementia support across the county.
During lockdown, it launched a ‘cafe in a box’ scheme in which dementia patients receive special boxes tailored to their individual interests.
Robotic cats have been included in the boxes to patients who have been clinically assessed to obtain maximum benefit from robot cat therapy.
Research has found the therapeutic value of robotic cats can be more beneficial than drugs for certain conditions.
The latest delivery takes the number of robotic cats donated by Knaresborough Rotary Club to 50.
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Each robot weighs about the same as a cat and interacts in a lifelike way, creating a calming effect.
They miaow, purr, lick their paws and can become long-term companions to dementia patients.
Jill Quinn, chief executive of Dementia Forward, said people became attached to the cats after the charity trialled them.
Jill Quinn, chief executive of Dementia Forward.
Ms Quinn said:
“They are very lifelike and purr and react when they are stroked.
“They can provide comfort for a person with dementia who is anxious or unable to settle by providing a calming effect.
“One example we witnessed was a woman who was very into arts and crafts, but her dementia meant that she would get anxious and wasn’t able to stay involved in any activity.
“But once we placed the cat on her knee she sat and stroked it – it created a calming distraction which enabled her to stay focussed and enjoy the activity.”