March 8, 2017 (Hickory, NC) ─ Doris Pittman held the long-haired, gray cat in her lap, stroking its fur.

“There won’t be another one like it,” she said when asked what she thinks of the Hasbro Joy For All Cat. “I love his little paws.”

Hickory Village Memory Care, a DePaul Senior Living Community in Hickory, recently welcomed “Fuller Homer Huggles,” a name given to him by staff with help from family member, Frances Odell. Pictured below are Hickory Village residents Gladys Anderson, Benny Paige and Johnsie Hice with the community’s new Hasbro Joy For All Cat!

With realistic fur and cat-like sounds – and sensors that respond to petting and hugs with familiar pet-like actions – the Joy For All companion  is being welcomed  to Hickory Village Memory Care with open arms, big smiles and lots of laughter. Administrator Susan Blizzard said Fuller Homer Huggles has brought comfort and delight to residents. “Fuller” is so realistic, she jokes that she hopes the residents don’t try to feed him real milk.

“Fuller has been a real delight, bringing comfort to some of our residents with Alzheimer’s disease,” she said. “Our residents talk to the cat about being home and about how pretty he is. It causes them to recollect pets they had throughout their lifetime.”

See Doris’ reaction to the Joy For All Cat by visiting https://www.facebook.com/hickoryvillagememorycare/videos/1335819723177611/.

For more information about Hickory Village, please contact Administrator Susan Blizzard at (828) 322-2230, at sblizzard@depaul.org or visit us on Facebook.