Today is National Pet Day, a time to reflect on our pets and the how they enhance our lives. We know cats are great, but research actually supports this claim by showing many health benefits. Check these out:
Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Cat owners have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Interestingly enough, according to the study from the University of Minnesota, this does not apply to the same degree for dog owners.
Reduce Chances of Heart Attack
Owning a cat reduces the chance that you will sustain a heart attack. You can actually reduce the chance that you will suddenly die of a heart attack. How cool is that?
Improve Immune Function
Your immune functions improve when you own a cat! Cats seem to sense when you are not feeling well and can provide you with comfort, helping you to improve while giving your immune system a boost, too.
Decrease Chance of Allergies
If you have a cat, it can decrease your chance of developing allergies. Having a cat can actually prevent allergies in your children. If children are exposed to pets at an early age, they are less prone to developing allergies than their pet-less counterparts.
Lessens Chances of Asthma in Children
In addition to preventing allergies in kids, there is some evidence that suggests owning a cat can help to prevent asthma in children.
Lower Blood Pressure
Want to reduce your blood pressure? Get a cat! Just stroking a cat is calming and automatically will lower your blood pressure. There’s power in the purr!
Reduces Anxiety
Suffer from anxiety? Your feline friend can reduce those feelings of stress. There is nothing like the calm, unconditional love and presence of a cat.
Fewer Doctor Visits
Those who own cats typically have fewer visits to the doctor. Studies have also shown that nursing homes that use cats as part of the therapy for patients realize lower medication costs among the patients than those nursing homes who do not bring cats into the facility.
There are many, many more health benefits to owning a cat, including a reduction in loneliness, lower cholesterol levels, improving your mood, and adding years to your life.
On this National Pet Day, do tell, what’s the best thing your cat has done for your life? Leave us a comment, we’d love to hear from you!
Written by Karen
