Pet ownership, successful aging and mortality: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

Studies suggest that interactions with animals may promote health and successful aging; however, the evidence remains mixed in community-dwelling older adults. This study assesses longitudinal evidence on the associations between pet ownership and successful aging and mortality among community-dwelling older adults.

We conducted a systematic search across six databases for peer-reviewed studies and gray literature. After removing duplicates (1,214 of 3,615 records) 2,401 studies were independently screened by two authors using predefined eligibility criteria. Study quality was assessed using the 9-point Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cohort Studies.

Of the remaining 26 studies from 21 countries and regions, 20 reported a positive association between pet ownership, successful aging, and lower all-cause mortality rates. Positive associations were found for physiological functioning (3/7), cognitive functioning (3/4), physical functioning (6/9), being actively engaged in life (2/3), being psychologically well adapted (3/7), lower all-cause mortality rates (2/6), cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates (2/3), and cancer mortality rates (0/1). Negative associations were observed for physical functioning (1/9), being psychologically well adapted in later life (1/7), and having lower mortality rates (2/8). No associations were found for physiological function (5/7), cognitive functioning (4/4), physical functioning (4/9), being actively engaged in life (1/3), all-cause mortality (4/6), CVD mortality (2/3), and cancer mortality (1/1).

Pet ownership may be a modifiable factor that supports healthy aging, though its impact is context-dependent. Therefore, future research should prioritize longitudinal, mixed-method designs to clarify causal mechanisms and optimize targeted interventions for diverse aging populations.