Did you know that on average, cat owners were found to be smarter than dog owners, and that it’s estimated that there’s currently 600 million cats across the globe? Cats of any kind make the perfect pet because they improve both your mental and physical health, and they’re a practical option.
Cats are incredibly beneficial for your mental health! According to the CDC, cats provide emotional support, improve the overall mood of their owners, and promote socialization between older individuals, as well as people who are mentally or physically disabled. Who knew that cats were great for both your mental and social health?
In a study done by Doctors Cheryl M. Straede and Richard G. Gates, cat owners scored much lower on levels of psychiatric disturbance tests as opposed to those who didn’t own a feline friend. Basically, this means that cat owners were found to have better mental health than those without a cat.
In a study done by Sage Journals, it was found that pet owners scored significantly higher on social sensitivity and interpersonal trust tests. This means that cat owners were found to be more likely to feel better in social situations and empathized more with others.
Secondly, cats are a great option if you’re looking for a pet because they are lower maintenance than other pets available on the market. In an article written in the Wall Street Journal, pet friendly hotel staff from hotels around the United States said that they found cats to be much easier to take care of as opposed to other animals because they didn’t have to be let out as much, and they didn’t need to be bribed or entertained. This makes cats a great option if you’re worried about having a pet that’s too much work to take care of.
Cats are also much less expensive to take care of than dogs and other animals. In fact, owning a cat can save you up to $800 per year! Cats are more affordable to own than other animals, hence making them an extremely economical option.
It is a well known fact that cats kill and eat small rodents that could otherwise infest your house. This makes cats a practical option if you are worried about having a rodent problem. Your neighbors will probably thank you too!
Additionally, cats are beneficial to your physical health and wellbeing as well. In an experiment done by a group of scientists who specialized in psychology, a group of people were asked to complete stressful tasks. The people participating in these tasks were allowed to have their cats and spouses with them, but the study was also conducted with non-pet owners.
The results of the study showed that people who had their cat present had a lower blood pressure and heart rate. The cat owners also saw these stressful tasks as more of a challenge rather than a threat, and fewer errors were made. Who would’ve known that cats make you do better under stressful situations and improve your body physically?
According to the American Cancer Society, cats have been known to decrease our cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If your heart health is something that worries you, a cat is an amazing solution!
In an article on Purina, cats were found to reduce the stress levels of their owners. We all know that stress has very harmful and detrimental effects on the body, so it is physically beneficial to own a cat. I know that whenever I feel stressed or upset, I always cheer up whenever one of my cats comes around.
I remember one day when I got home from school, I was really upset because I’d had a bad day. My cat, Doris, came up to me and brushed against my legs like cats do. I instantly felt much better, and I often find myself enjoying my cat's companionable silence when I’m upset.
To sum it up, owning a feline friend is an incredible idea because cats can benefit your mental health, they are a very practical pet option, and they are fantastic for your physical well-being. Next time you’re on the market for a pet, consider a cat as your next potential companion.
Works Cited:
Allen, Karen, et al. “pet_paper.Pdf.” Psychosomatic Medicine, 2002.
Benefits of Cat Ownership.” Purina.com.au, Purina, www.purina.com.au/en/cats/care/benefits.
“Cats.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pets/cats.html.
Cvetkovska, Ljubica. “60 Peculiar Cat Statistics That Are the Cat's Meow!” Petpedia, Petpedia.co, 14 July 2020, petpedia.co/cat- statistics/.
Heiser, Christina. “Forget What You've Heard. Being a Cat Lady Is Healthy.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 11 Apr. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/better/health/forget-what-you-ve-heard-being-cat-lady-healthy-ncna789676.
Hyde, K. R., Kurdek, L., & Larson, P. C. (1983). Relationships between pet ownership and self-esteem, social sensitivity, and interpersonal trust. Psychological Reports, 52(1), 110. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1983.52.1.110.
Ogletree, Kelsey. "Dogs Vs. Cats: Why Pet-Friendly Hotels are Warming to Felines; Though such Hotels have Traditionally Focused on Pampering Dogs, they Increasingly View Cats as More Manageable Guests." Wall Street Journal (Online), 24 Jun 2019. eLibrary, https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2245755274?accountid=9160.
Straede, Cheryl M., and Richard G. Gates MD. “Psychological Health in a Population of Australian Cat Owners.” Taylor and Francis Online, Informa UK Limited, 2015, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/089279393787002385/.
“The Health Benefits of Owning Pets.” American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Inc., 3 June 2020, www.cancer.org/latest-news/the-health-benefits-of-owning-pets.html.