Yesterday, after work my friend proposed to drop by my place for a glass of wine. While enjoying our drinks we just dived into a conversation about our cats and started scrolling through our camera roll to find videos of our “furr” buddies. That very conversation and video brought a lot of positivity and happiness. We both were exhausted after a hectic week, but we felt so light and relaxed while watching those funny videos and as I am away from my cat, I realized how important she is and what joy she brings!
We all benefit from our pet’s selfless devotion, love and presence. They are considered members of the family. They require affection, care, and attention just like humans do. But pet owners’ interactions with their animals are two-way. Our minds, bodies, and hearts are all healthier thanks to the contributions that pets make.
There are plenty of scientifically proven benefits of having a pet such as:
- Unconditional Love and support
The majority of animals only require a warm, secure, and protected area to live in addition to enough food, drink, and exercise. They will give you their undying love, fidelity, and company in return. Cats can be a somewhat fickle, while dogs are famed for their unconditional love. Yet, having a furry buddy ensures that you will always have a small creature at home who is eager to greet you with a wagging tail or a purr. There is no doubt that pet owners believe their animals offer emotional support, particularly during stressful periods, and happily, science seems to confirm this. According to several studies, having a pet by your side during a stressful event may help lower your stress levels. It has been demonstrated by the research that being around pets makes humans happier and less depressed.
- Better Mental and Physical Health
By providing both practical and emotional support, pets can help promote good mental health. Relieving anxiety, stress, and sadness might be characterized as the emotional task. You may have observed that when you are upset or sad, your pet notices right away and immediately takes action. They are excellent support and therapy animals because of their intuition, and PTSD, anxiety, and depression can be effectively treated with animal-assisted therapy. One of the most important places to realize the full advantages of pet ownership is in your heart. Simply having animals around has a big effects on blood pressure, with pet owners having lower resting blood pressure than those without pets. The chance of dying from cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes, is decreased if you have a feline buddy at home. Those without cats are 40% more likely to experience a heart attack than non-cat owners, according to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI).
- Prevent Loneliness
A validated online survey was used in a study that was published in December 2021 in PLoS One to assess psychological markers among dog owners and non-dog owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers discovered that dog owners claimed their pets were the reason they felt they had much more social support and less loneliness. While finding no differences in anxiety or total satisfaction scores, they also allegedly experienced fewer depressive symptoms than non-dog owners.
In addition to being the devoted friends we’ve always known pets to be, it’s evident from the research on mental health and physical health that pets significantly improve people’s lives in these areas. I’m going to stick to what I instinctively know that my kitty is one of the most loving “person” in my life. Think about how your pet contributed to your life if you have one and share it with me through a comment.
Until my next blog, I will leave you with some good reads for positive and good life: Ikigai and Self Compassion