Pet attachment

2 papers4 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

1 lab in 1 country

Funders: National Institutes of Health and 1 more

Humans2

Outcomes

Mental wellbeing

downin humans1

1 study

Pet attachment impairs mental wellbeing in humans (p = 0.012).
“Pet attachment was related to worsening mental wellbeing (p = 0.012).”
Humanscommunity-dwelling older adultsM = 7.5 yearsn = 596
Pet Ownership, Pet Attachment, and Longitudinal Changes in Psychological Health-Evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland)25 Nov 2025

Physical well-being decline

downin humans1

1 study

Pet attachment decreases physical well-being decline in humans (p = 0.035).
“Among cat owners (N=100), higher attachment was associated with slower decline in physical well-being (p=0.035).”
Humanscat owners1-13 yearsn = 100
PET ATTACHMENT AND RETAINED PHYSICAL FUNCTION IN COMMUNITY RESIDING OLDER ADULT PET OWNERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Physical performance deterioration

downin humans1

1 study

Pet attachment decreases physical performance deterioration in humans (p = 0.009).
“Higher pet attachment was associated with slower deterioration in usual (p< 0.001) and rapid gait speed (p=0.002) and overall physical performance (p=0.009)”
Humanscommunity-dwelling older adult pet owners1-13 yearsn = 214
PET ATTACHMENT AND RETAINED PHYSICAL FUNCTION IN COMMUNITY RESIDING OLDER ADULT PET OWNERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024

Gait speed deterioration

downin humans1

1 study

Pet attachment decreases gait speed deterioration in humans (p < 0.001 (usual), p = 0.002 (rapid)).
“Higher pet attachment was associated with slower deterioration in usual (p< 0.001) and rapid gait speed (p=0.002)”
Humanscommunity-dwelling older adult pet owners1-13 yearsn = 214
PET ATTACHMENT AND RETAINED PHYSICAL FUNCTION IN COMMUNITY RESIDING OLDER ADULT PET OWNERS
GSA 2024 abstract31 Dec 2024