Have you ever watched those fun and entertaining cat videos online?  While you may feel like you are wasting your time, you just might be on to something.  Simply watching those videos can boost your energy levels and simultaneously create positive emotions. Is it any surprise that having a cat equates to a wealth of benefits?

According to mentalfloss.com, there are scientific studies that suggest there are multiple benefits of living with a cat. Of course, if you are reading this, you probably already suspected it.

Smaller Carbon Footprint

When it comes to protecting our environment, living with a cat means less of a carbon footprint than owning a dog.  A study done in 2009 revealed that what it takes to feed a dog over the course of its lifetime creates the same eco-footprint of a Land Cruiser automobile! On the flip side, cats, who typically eat less than dogs and are more likely to lean towards fish than corn or beef-flavored products, have the carbon footprint of a small hatchback vehicle.

Provide Support During Tough Times

Cats are amazing mental therapy, too.  For example, when you lose a loved one, cats can help you recover from the loss more quickly and can serve as tremendous social support during difficult times. And they don’t seem to mind if you talk to them as you sort out your feelings.

Better Social Life

A British poll noted that 82% of women indicated they are more attracted to men who like animals, and while having a dog doesn’t hurt in that regard, a significant 90% of single women seem to agree that guys who have a cat instead come across as “nicer” than other guys. (However, we don’t recommend getting a cat simply to attract a partner in life. A cat is an important – and lifelong – responsibility!)

Lower Stress Level

We all know that owning a pet is good news for your heart, but cats in particular can lower your stress level, and that could be in part because they don’t require as much work as dogs. Simply petting a cat can greatly reduce anxiety and one study reported that over a 10-year period, cat owners were 30% less likely to die from a heart attack or a stroke than non-cat owners.

Companionship

Cats are great companions, especially for women and a 2003 Austrian study offered that having a cat in the home is the emotional equivalent of having a romantic partner! On the flip side, cats have learned over thousands of years to make a sound quite similar to that of a human baby’s cry, and it’s tough to ignore that sound of apparent distress.

Are you in need of a good night’s sleep? Many people have reported an improved quality of sleep when they sleep with their cat as opposed to their partner.

Finally, if you consider yourself to be a trustworthy person, your cat may just prove that end. Cat owners tend to be more honest, more modest and less manipulative than those without cats as pets.