We all love our pets. In fact, in the United States today, more than 60% of homes have a pet. The most popular pet of all is the humble moggy. Yes, the human love of cats is something that has been with us since the dawn of civilisation. Indeed, unlike other animals, they are the only creature that live with us domestically in large numbers which has not been specifically bred to for domestication. They are in effect not domesticated animals but little tigers who live in our houses.
A study has concluded that not only do they make great companions, but they are also amazingly good for our health. The study by the Minnesota Stroke Institute looked at 4,000 cat owners over the space of 10 years and found that those who had cats were 30% less likely to suffer a heart-attack than those people who did not have furry friends.
The great news is that it isn’t just kitties that provide the health-benefits, dogs can as well!
In a study published in 2019 by Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association, and looking at data going back all the way to 1950, it found that those people who owned a dog were 24% less likely to die from any cause, not just cardiovascular problems.
There are a number of reasons suggested as to why pet ownership leads to a longer life. Some have proposed that having an animal such as a dog leads us to take part in a greater amount of exercise as we are required to take them for walks. However, this doesn’t really account for the higher life expectancy of cat owners. It may also be the case that having a cat or dog gives people happiness and calmness in their life, which, in turn, lowers blood-pressure while in the case of the elderly owning a pet may give them a sense of purpose and help combat cognitive decline.
This cognitive benefits may not just be something that assists the elderly either. A further study conducted through OnePoll, surveyed 1,000 pet owners (cat and / or dog) and 1,000 non-pet owners over the age of 55. They found that pet owners were twice as likely to describe themselves as a ‘success’ than non-pet owners and that they were also more likely to have paid off their mortgage and to have retired earlier. It may therefore be the case that pets are also good for our bank-balance!
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