There seems to be one common division in the world: whether or not you are a ‘cat person’. But after we blogged about the amazing mental health benefits of dogs, it only seemed fair we address the other half of the room.
This infographic by UK Cat Breeders, shows that for all their independence and quirkiness, cats improve our overall physical and mental health. Like dogs, felines help counteract depression, reduce stress and have been shown to calm people.
Physical benefits include a reduction in heart disease and stroke—something cat owners will continue to experience long after they have a cat. People also sleep better with a pet, and their purrs actually help muscle and bones to heal!
It makes sense, given that cats are calm animals, able to meditate and dwell in solitude before communicating their needs. Perhaps we could also learn something about the value of taking life slower from our cat friends.
So next time you feel stressed, take a moment to sit with a cat on your lap (if they’ll let you, of course), or look into adoption or part-time fostering. If adopting a cat is out of the question or allergies are a problem, there is good news! Scientists have found that even watching cat videos on the Internet is beneficial for overall mental health. So what are you waiting for? Go and find a cute cat video and your serotonin levels will sky rocket.
Cats. We don’t deserve them —and they won’t let us forget it.
Do you want to keep good mental health? Would you like to learn about day-to-day strategies you can use to soothe yourself? Here’s what you need to do: Contact Colleen on 0434 337 245 or Duncan on 0434 331 243 for a FREE 10 minute consultation on how we can best help you or book online now.
Leave a Reply