“Many residents have to surrender their own pets when they come to live in aged-care and miss them dreadfully. Having Bonnie about the place has helped enormously. She strolls around and curls up alongside anyone who’ll have her. She’s just part of the family now.

“When someone is having a bad day or feeling lonely, we invite Bonnie in for cuddles and pats. You can often see their whole mood lift straight away.”

This PetRescue Happy Tail, sent to us from the crew at Benetas Dowell Court aged-care facility in Victoria, provides fantastic insight into the therapeutic role cats can play in the lives of the elderly.

Many aged-care facilities look to keep pets around the place to provide kisses and cuddles for the residents. Cats are especially popular because they're predominantly indoor, spend most of the time snoozing on laps and are generally low-maintenance. It's worth considering this opportunity when finding homes for cats in your care in the future!

Click here to read the full story: Bonnie brings a song and a smile to her senior family