The Impact of Sustained Ownership of a Pet on Cognitive Health: A Population-Based Study

Abstract

Objectives: To examine associations between sustained ownership of a pet and cognitive outcomes among a national sample of U.S. adults. Methods: Weighted linear mixed models were estimated using the Health and Retirement Study (2010–2016, n = 1369) to compare repeated measures of cognitive function between respondents who endorsed owning a pet in a sustained manner (>5 years), versus those who owned a pet ≤5 years, and non-pet owners. Results: Respondents aged 65+ who owned a pet >5 years demonstrated higher composite cognitive scores, compared to non-pet owners (β =.76, p =.03). Sustained pet ownership was associated with higher immediate (β =.3, p =.02) and delayed (β =.4, p =.007) word recall scores. There were no significant differences in cognitive scores between pet owners and non-owners aged < 65. Discussion: Sustained ownership of a pet could mitigate cognitive disparities in older adults. Further studies are needed to examine potential causal pathways, including physical activity and stress buffering, versus selection effects.