Over the last two days, I’ve received $1,000 in donations for the Mansion Anti-Loneliness and Dementia Relief program from this week’s meditation class. Thank you.

I could hardly believe how much these lifelike cats and dogs and teddy bears can mean to someone in assisted care, yearning for something to nurture and someone to take care of and sleep with them at night, the lonely time.

So far, I’ve sent six lifelike cats, and a teddy bear to people at the Mansion who want one and who the staff feels would benefit.

I’ve seen some of the resident’s responses to these replacement animals, and it is wonderful to give them this comfort. One is rearranging her will to ensure her cat has a home to go to when she dies. The cat going to a granddaughter.

Most of the residents we’ve zeroed in on – especially in Memory Care – are women, but yesterday two men approached me (in secret) and asked if they could receive a cat or dog. They don’t want anyone to know. The best cats are designed especially for dementia patients; they cost $200 apiece.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting this program, and I will follow up with interviews and photographs, as always.

I’ve purchased several different kinds of replacement animals, the one I have zeroed in on, especially for the Mansion’s dementia patients, is the Elephant Robotics “meta” lifelike cat.

This is the best special cat for dementia, memory patients, and lonely people in assisted care that I’ve come across, and I’ve looked at a lot.

I”m not in the business of promoting sales for corporations. Still, people with parents in assisted care are asking me what I’m liking, and they are entitled to an answer.

The Elephant Robotics cat has eyes that are LED screens that allow the cat to wink, blink, shrink, and move. I’ve reviewed the company’s claims for these cats and found that the claims are true.

These lifelike cats can hardly be distinguished from real animals. They have simulation fur that is both smooth and allergen safe. The cats meow and purr in response to touch, in the same sound and manner as a real cat. This cat wiggles its tail, looks up pleadingly, and blinks.

The Elephant Robotic “meta” cat was designed to help children and dementia patients who need mood support and suffer from anxiety or loneliness. Initially skeptical of this idea,  I’ve seen it work repeatedly. These animals replicate the nurturing impulse and responsibility of having children, loved ones, or real animals.

The residents I’ve seen engage with them personally and emotionally; they smile, recall happy memories, and are stimulated and entertained. They love them dearly.

They also have a companion who staves off loneliness and isolation. These cats brighten the dark spots and fill some of the holes of being old and alone. Memory loss is about identity; I see that they bring back feelings and memories.

As long as people send me donations, I’ll keep getting them over to the Mansion and the people who want them. The activity staff and some aides are working closely with me to identify the residents who want these lifelike animals and would most need them.

We’ve done a lot of work at the Mansion, but this work strikes the heart and is transformative. Life in assisted care is almost always lonely; these people have left the best and most meaningful parts of their life behind. These animals bring them back to the good aspects of their life, lift their spirits and become beloved companions.

I’ll keep it going as long as people wish to support it. I bought two myself.

I am guessing there are six and a dozen residents in Memory Care who want a companion cat or dog, especially one they don’t have to feed or take to the vet. There are many good companion animals; I’m focusing on the Elephant Robotics “meta” cat.

If you wish to donate or donate more, you can do so via Paypal, [email protected] or Venmo, Jon Katz@Jon-Katz-13 or by check, Jon Katz, Cat Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

And thank you, and thank you again. It is better to do good than argue about what interest is or means.

This is a wonderful example of our core philosophy at the Army Of Good – small acts of great kindness. We make a difference.