Do you ever feel like your stress levels are through the roof? I think the better question for many might be, when do you not? We all know that stress can have negative effects on our physical and mental health. But what if I told you that there is a simple solution to reducing stress in the form of a furry little companion? Today we are going to talk about the benefits of having a cat- just how the stress-relieving properties of our feline friends can help us to lead healthier and happier lives.
Petting and Physical Contact with Cats Can Improve Your Well-Being
Petting a cat can have a calming effect on the body and mind. Just the motion of gently stroking a cat can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. I work for a university, and every semester during finals week, animals are brought in to alleviate stress for the students. I even remember this practice from when I was a student many years ago at a different university. Well, it turns out that science supports what we all knew- animals make us feel better. Researchers studied one of these university programs that bring in animals to reduce stress. The program provided animals to students and encouraged them to spend from 5 to 45 minutes petting an animal. The researchers got involved and showed that petting an animal for 10 minutes will lower salivary cortisol levels (Pendry & Vandagriff, 2019).
Emotional Support Cats: Cats Are There Through the Good Times and Bad
Cats can provide companionship and emotional support, which can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Cats (like any other pet companion) offer companionship without any expectations. We don’t have to act a particular way or try to say the right thing. When don’t feel comfortable enough to talk to another person, we can talk to our pets. We all need companionship, but that doesn’t mean we always need another person. Pets offer tremendous benefits to us. They really do provide emotional stability, and a study by Brooks et. al supports this claim. Additionally, from my own cats, I can say that cats are aware of our emotions. They know when I need them. My cats don’t enjoy being picked up, but I can always count on a cat to jump in my lap or lay up against me in bed. My cats work hard to take care of me sometimes!
Distraction from Stress: Cats Can Help You Take a Break from Life’s Woes
You know as well as I do that sometimes you just don’t want to think about your problems. What do cat lovers do when they want a good distraction? They go online and find memes about cats, cat videos, or just funny pictures. Having your own cat to play with is even better! Get out your laser pointer or your flirt pole and let your cat take you away from your negative thoughts and worries!
Laughter is the Best Medicine: Cats provide stress relief through humor!
We talked above about how playing with cats can be a distraction. Let’s talk about the aspect of humor. A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that participants who watched a funny video had a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to a control group. Another study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that laughter therapy was associated with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in older adults. Additionally, laughter has been shown to release endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that can act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. It also has been shown to decrease the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can help to reduce feelings of anxiety. Clearly, you need a silly cat in your life to help alleviate your anxiety!
Finding Purpose with a Feline Friend: How Cats Help you find Meaning in your life
Sometimes, when we get depressed or anxious, we can feel like we have no purpose. Having the responsibility to care for a pet we love can remind us that we do always matter to someone. Taking care of a pet can also give us a sense of control, and take our focus away from our own problems and provide us with the motivation to focus on our pet’s needs.
The Comfort of Routines: Cats Thrive in Predicable Environments- and So Do You!
Cats have natural routines like eating, sleeping, and grooming themselves, which can help create a sense of stability and regularity that can be calming for people. Since I am a teacher, I have breaks during certain times of the year. I know what happens to me during those times- I fall out of my routine and after a few weeks, I’m no longer productive. I get lazy, and I really do start to crave my routine. No matter how out of whack I get in my routines, my cats want me up at the same time every day to take care of them. I have 3 cats. All three of them want me up by 8 am to feed them. All three of them feel that after breakfast, the schedule is bath time and then nap time. I find it funny- two of my cats would welcome me back to bed for nap time, but one of them is in charge of keeping me productive, and she tells me I cannot use her bed during morning nap time. It’s funny.
The Healing Power of Purring
A cat’s purr can have a soothing and relaxing effect on people. Researchers have studied this, as well, and the results show that a cat’s purr may have a healing effect on bones and tissues, as well as a pain-relieving effect. A study published in the journal of The Acoustic Society of America found that the frequency of a cat’s purr, between 20-140 Hz, is within the range that can promote bone density healing (von Muggenthaler, 2001). An article I read in Scientific American explains that purring may have caused a myth that cats can reassemble all their bones if they are all together in the same room. The same article went on to explain that cats don’t have many muscle and bone abnormalities as dogs and that the thought is purring is responsible. You can read that article here. From my own personal experience- I really can’t sleep well unless I have my cat’s sweet squeaky snore to listen to as I fall asleep. I always sleep with one cat by my head and the other cat stretched out against my back.
A Feline Sense of Security: How Cats Can Help You Feel Safe and Protected
Since I just told you that I sleep in between my cats, I’ll now tell you that having a cat in the home can provide a sense of security and protection. That sounds funny, doesn’t it? We think of dogs as our protectors. Countless memes say otherwise. Have you seen the meme with the cartoon of the person carrying her cat shield to the bathroom with her? There is another one of a little cat that becomes a fierce protector at night. Also, Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye, anyone? Just having another living being with us can help us feel secure. When it’s our psychological fears keeping us awake, we know that there isn’t anything to be afraid of if the cat didn’t notice it. If that shadow figure in the corner were anything more than a pile of clothes, then surely the cat would be freaking out.
Achieving More with a Feline Friend: How Training Your Cat Can Boost Your Sense of Accomplishment
You really can train a cat. Guess what? The act of training a cat to do simple tricks or tasks can really boost our self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. So- you just need to train your cat! I’ll write a separate post on this, but to give you a few tips to get you started, you will want to use positive reinforcement. You will need a high-value treat such as my favorite Churu. Don’t spend more than 10 or 15 minutes per session or your cat will get bored! Start with something your cat does naturally- like put its paw in your hand. When your cat bats your hand, you can say your trigger word, and give a treat. Sooner or later, your cat will realize that the action and the word are associated with the high-value treat. It’s very similar to the way you’d train any other animal, but since few people train their cats, you’ll have an even stronger sense of accomplishment if you do it!
Conclusion
As you can see, the emotional benefits of owning a cat are undeniable. From the power of purring to the act of bonding with a pet, cats have been shown to have a positive impact on human well-being. They can reduce stress and anxiety, and even improve heart health. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that cats are not only great for people with high-stress levels, but also for those who are lonely or elderly. They can help reduce feelings of isolation and provide a sense of purpose and responsibility.
Of course, owning a cat is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. It’s important to consider the time and financial commitment required before making the decision to adopt a feline companion. But if you’re ready for the commitment, the rewards of having a cat in your life can be immeasurable.
In short, cats can be a great stress reliever and can have a positive impact on our human well-being.
To learn more about building a bond with your cat, visit: https://toebeansandtales.com/building-a-strong-connection-with-your-purr-baby/
Sources:
- Brooks, H. L., Rushton, K., Lovell, K., Bee, P., Walker, L., Grant, L., & Rogers, A. (2018). The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2
- Pendry, P., & Vandagriff, J. L. (2019). Animal Visitation Program (AVP) reduces cortisol levels of university students: A randomized controlled trial. AERA Open, 5(2), 233285841985259. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419852592
- Qureshi, A. I., Memon, M. Z., Vazquez, G., & Suri, M. F. (2009). Cat ownership and the Risk of Fatal Cardiovascular Diseases. Results from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study Mortality Follow-up Study. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, 2, 132–139. https://doi.org/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3317329/
- Scientific American. (2006, April 3). Why do cats purr? Scientific American. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-cats-purr/
- von Muggenthaler, E. (2001). The felid purr: A healing mechanism? The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 110(5), 2666–2666. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4777098
