This is my cat Coco, captured last summer while playing with dandelion blowballs. © Mariah
Many of us keep cats for companionship, but for me, my cats have been keeping me calm and actually giving me some comfort in everyday life. Since having my cats, I have noticed a few changes. When I am stressed, my cat redirects my attention by simply petting them, and unknowingly relaxes me. Having them makes me feel happier and supported emotionally. Because of this, my curiosity sparked, and I looked more closely at how cats really benefit our health and what I found amazed me.
Studies show amazing results that even just interacting with a cat can help lower stress and increase bonding hormones like oxytocin, and they also found that the time we spend with our cats can lessen our cortisol levels, which is why we feel calmer (Allen et al., 2002). Another long study shows that cat owners may have a lower risk of dying from a heart attack compared to those without cats, and that really makes me feel grateful for owning cats (Qureshi et al., 2009).
We have days that can be overwhelming, having a cat beside you curled up and purring makes you slow down. Playing with them, feeding them and even just a quiet time is very calming.
One study stated that cats being around can actually activate a certain area of the brain that is linked to emotional control and decision making (Nagata et al., 2020). And that even just their purring has a subtle effect on the body. I was astounded upon learning that a cat's purr frequency ranges around 25 to 150Hz, which is comparable to the frequency used in therapeutic vibration and bone stimulation. Research says that these frequencies have been linked with pain reduction, bone density and tissue healing, although the researchers are still looking further into this, but plenty of cat owners have reported benefits.
Even just looking at a cat watching from a windowsill can make you feel connected without the pressure of having to interact and allows you to recharge while still feeling accompanied, so cats, in this sense, are also good for people who value solitude. The downside is that we form a strong bond with our cats, and our loss could be very painful because we have built a deep relationship with them. We built trust, share routines, and have peaceful moments and gentle connections.
So, owning a cat can actually give us so many benefits, and having cats around can improve our daily life and well-being. From my personal experience, it also taught me to value small daily connections and showed me that gentle companionship is powerful in promoting health and happiness.
Further Reading:
Effects on autonomic nervous system responses to stress. Link
Cat ownership and the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases. Link
Brain activity during interaction with cats. Link
Human animal interaction and stress-related biomarkers. Link
The felid purr: A healing mechanism? Link