By Steph Ferns
Animals, pets, cute, cuddly, fluffy friends. When I say the word “friend” most people would think of a dog, mankind’s best friend since the Stone Age.
Which is a fair thought. Dogs are a bundle of joy, bounding about with their tails wagging simply because you looked at them. Their joy is quite infectious, making them a perfect companion for someone with mental health problems. Walking them is a great bonus too, forcing you to get out of the house, stretch your legs, all that good stuff.
But what about cats?
Now, some readers may scrunch up their nose; which, again, is fair. Cats aren’t known for their deep emotional bonds with owners, being rather aloof and independent all things considered. As a cat owner I’d personally protest this until the cows come home but, rather than do that, let’s take a look at the many benefits of simply owning a cat.
Like dogs, taking care of a cat brings a sense of purpose, which can be vital when wallowing in the depths of depression. They will give grateful headbutts and purrs to show their joy. One can always tell if their cat is happy just by looking at their tail. If their tail is straight up, with a little kink in the very end, they are as happy as can be. Knowing this can greatly improve an owner’s mood the same way as seeing a dog wag its tail.
Then there’s the fact that cats aren’t as clingy as dogs – at least, in most cases. This is helpful for people who love their pet dearly, but enjoy time to themselves. Plus, even if a cat is clingy, they aren’t as bouncy as dogs, resulting in a shared chill session for both cat and human. It’s good to pet your cat during this time, as simply interacting with your cat triggers the release of all those feel-good hormones: serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.
Cats are funny creatures, just look at how popular videos of them are. They can be pretty quirky, being able to sense the tiniest change in the air means they detect things we can’t, which led to the belief in Japan that they could see ghosts.
With their eyes darting about the room, chasing something unseen to the human eye, pouncing on a tuft of near-invisible hair, and the zoomies (those random moments that animals suddenly get a burst of energy and they simply have to let it out). Combine that with a cat’s parkour abilities, and you get a very entertaining little furball.
What I’m trying to say is, they’re great for a laugh. Owning a cat is like having your own 24/7 cat video available. They’re great if you have depression.
In a cat’s mind, you are their world. You as a being means safety, comfort, and love. They are loyal to the very end, with several cases of cats even defending their house from human intruders, just as a dog would. This in turn brings a sense of safety to owners, though I will point out again that this is a rare occurrence. The terms “friendly” and “loyal” may seem bit odd to associate with cats, but it’s true.
Though, if you’ve only ever seen cats that belong to friends of family, you may have not experienced it yourself. That’s because – to cats – they are one in the same. Unlike dogs, who can be friendly to everyone but loyal to their owner, cats usually are both loyal and friendly to their owner.
This strong bond they create has been known to chase the ever-nipping sense of loneliness away from people who live on their own.
And cats have healing powers.
No, really. Studies show that cats don’t just purr because they’re happy, or – to a lesser-known extent – frightened. It has been scientifically proven that the range of hertz that a purr makes is beneficial in that it speeds up the healing process many injuries.
They can speed up the healing of bones, cuts, tendon and ligament injuries, the vibrations can even lower one’s blood pressure and lower the owner’s chance of having a heart attack by 40 per cent. Then there’s the mental benefits, with the calming purrs being a surefire way to destress and help with anxiety.
Honestly, I could go on and on, cats are great. Dogs are great too, don’t get me wrong, but maybe you feel they’re a bit too much for you.
If that’s the case, consider adopting a cat from a nearby shelter, give a lonely little furball a home and they’ll give you all the previously mentioned benefits and more.
Featured image: Chill time with mum. Photo: Steph Ferns
