Cat Ownership Comes With Health Benefits

Posted on January 26, 2010 | Category: Pet Trivia

There is something special about the bond that exists between a cat and his or her owner. If you are a senior or the kind of person who lives alone, the affection and social interaction that you receive from owning a cat can go a long way toward improving happiness and quality of life. Of course, there are many other benefits to cat ownership that go far beyond the simple joys of having a loving pet in your life. There are many health benefits as well.

Did you know that when a child grows up in a home that keeps cats, that child has a tendency to have a much lower incidence of allergies and sickness than a child who grows up in a home without them? The effects are especially profound when the cat enters the home before the child is born or within the first few months of the child’s life. It is thought that the presence of the cat helps the child naturally develop resistance to pet allergies, as well generally improve immune function. There are no guarantees, of course, but the results are statistically significant.

There are several disorders that children suffer from that leave their communication skills at a severe disadvantage. These conditions, autism being the best known, are treated in many ways, but the inclusion of an animal such as a cat in the treatment tends to be beneficial, as these children seem to have an easier time interacting with animals than they do with people.

While that is definitely important for children, adults see health benefits to having a cat in the home as well. Having a great deal of stress in your life can be quite detrimental to your health, and, as most adults can tell you, there is quite a lot of stress out in the world. When you come home, however, the welcoming purr of a cat can help you leave at least some of that stress outside. When that cat climbs into your lap and you begin petting it, your body relaxes, the stress starts to abate, and your blood pressure levels begin to drop.

Keeping a cat in your home can even affect your brain chemistry. Two chemicals in particular, dopamine and serotonin, are used in the brain to stabilize and balance your moods. When you have a cat, these chemicals tend to exist in the brain in higher quantities than they would otherwise. This helps stave off not only depression, but anxiety and loneliness as well.

Even beyond the ones that have been discussed here, there are plenty of reasons to own a cat. Whether you pick up one of the new born kittens your coworker is giving away or whether you visit a cat rescue group, you’ll be glad you did.

» Filed Under Pet Trivia

Leave a Reply