Saying that cats can heal one’s depression might be too strong of a statement; however, these critters are known to have a strong positive effect on people’s mental health. Greater Good magazine covered quite a few benefits of sharing a home with a cat, such as being happier and more confident, feeling less stress, and enjoying better sleep, just to name a few. It pointed out that even watching cat videos can help combat anxiety, annoyance, and sadness.
Greater Good also revealed that cats are a positive influence to our physical well-being as well. They are believed to help minimize the risk of a heart attack and can arguably alleviate numerous health complaints, such as headaches or back pain.
Integrative mental health specialist, Louise B. Miller, Ph.D., pointed out that it’s not only cats but pets in general that provide numerous psychological and physical benefits to people. In addition to relieving stress by lowering the levels of cortisol in our body, they also help increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine, known as the “feel-good” chemicals.
Dr. Miller also emphasized that pets are a source of comfort and a sense of purpose; they make a person feel needed, which positively affects their self-esteem. In addition to that, some pets require regular physical activity—a dog that’s stomping by the door eager to go on a walk, for instance—which means regular exercise for their human as well.
All the benefits—not to mention the endless and unconditional love—critters bring into people’s lives are likely the reason so many of them share their home with a pet. According to Forbes, currently in 2023, as many as 66% US households, adding up to roughly 85 million of them, are home to a pet of some sort.
Even though dogs are still the more common option, with 58% pet owners enjoying their company, cats are not that far behind (36%).
Both cats and dogs were once untamed animals fighting for their survival in the wilderness; which might be difficult to imagine by looking at the critter comfortably napping on the sofa covered by three of your favorite blankets.
It is difficult to determine when exactly dogs were domesticated, but, according to New Scientist, they separated from their wolf ancestors somewhere between 27,000 and 40,000 years ago, based on genetic evidence. (It seems that they became man’s best friend simply because the man had excessive amounts of meat. He started sharing it with the wild furry beast, turning it into a cute and loving critter over the span of thousands of years.) As for cats, Scientific American pointed out that they might have started their friendship with humans roughly 10,000 years ago.
Ever since people turned wild cats into what resembles Garfield more than a lion, they have been successfully cohabiting with all sorts of felines. Nowadays there are believed to be 73 breeds of cats—at least that’s how many are recognized by The International Cat Association (TIKA),—each one cuter than the other.
And even though cuteness is a highly subjective matter, there seems to be a clear winner when it comes to popularity. According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, back in 2021, Ragdoll became the most popular breed for the third consecutive year. It was followed by the Maine Coon Cat, the Exotic, and the Persian respectively.
Despite domesticating them and living side by side for thousands of years already, people still find it difficult sometimes to understand whether their cat actually likes them. Let’s be honest, their somewhat unfazed facade at times or clear need for personal space might really puzzle their owners.
Evolutionary psychologist and writer, Nigel Barber, Ph.D., covered communication between cats and people in an article for Psychology Today. He pointed out that cats might utter a ‘meow’ not only to express hunger, but to greet you, as they typically do their mother when they’re still a kitten. (Yes, in a way they consider the owner a parent, or one of their own, at least.) The author also emphasized that when they’re relaxed, felines might start to blink slowly or purr.
Dr. Nigel Barber also suggested that cats are popular subjects for internet content, which is likely to be affirmed by any avid user of the internet. The number of videos or cat memes circulating the web nowadays would likely be difficult to determine, but back in 2015, as much as 15% of internet traffic was believed to be driven by cat videos alone.