10 Benefits Of Having A Cat According To Psychology
Do you know what the advantages and privileges of having a cat are? These pets help improve our health not only on a physical level but also on a psychological level. Discover them.
Although having a pet has become common in recent decades, it is often thought that cats are treacherous or bring bad luck. Nothing is further from reality. There are studies that have shown that the company of cats is good and brings us well-being, but… Do we really know the benefits of having a cat for our health?
Animals can help us combat loneliness and give us a love that is difficult to explain. In addition to all this, there are a series of advantages of having a cat on a physical and emotional level. According to the studies carried out in this regard, we can identify that a pet cat It can benefit us in the following.
1. Reduces cardiovascular diseases
After several studies carried out in recent years in Minnesota and the United Kingdom, a relationship has been observed between having a cat and the absence of cardiovascular diseases and a reduction of up to 30% in the probability of dying from a heart attack. Why does this happen? Hug a cat or pet cats It reduces heart rate and therefore, our blood pressure and as a result the chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke decrease.
2. Reduce stress levels
pet a cat It causes breathing to become more rhythmic and the pleasant purring of the animal relaxes our nerves. In addition, the cat’s purring is a natural massage, since it produces vibrations of between 20 and 140 hertz, which has also been shown in several Scientific American studies to be beneficial for the prevention of various diseases and psychological disorders derived from anxiety and stress. Despite this, relying only on cats to reduce these pathologies is not the best solution. If you think you have very high levels of anxiety and stress you can always consult with a professional psychologist.
3. Helps us meditate
Observing the elegant movements of these animals, how they wash themselves or how they enjoy every moment just looking out the window or falling asleep next to the heater, causes us to mimic them and thus learn to enjoy the relaxation of being at home without doing anything. nothing, live peacefully and enjoy every little moment. In this way, the cat as a pet It can allow us to be more in the present and appreciate every moment.
Another of the advantages of having a cat These are adorable but also very fun little animals. They usually liven up the day with their skills, craziness, games, scares and moments of clumsiness. Being skittish, they have reactions that make us laugh and seeing them having fun playing while we laugh is something that activates our well-known happiness hormones.
5. Raise your self-esteem
If you lack affection, another of the benefits of having a cat It’s a great choice. They usually come looking for you when you get home, they constantly ask for cuddles, they rub on your legs, they headbutt affectionately and they show their unconditional love towards the human companions in the house. Since they need you, you feel that you are taking care of them and as a consequence you feel useful, so self-concept (what we think about ourselves) and self-esteem (the affection we feel towards ourselves) increase.
6. Reduces the possibility of suffering from depression and/or helps to overcome it
Cats and pets in general keep you busy. They are a responsibility because their well-being depends on you taking care of them. As you already know, depression is fueled by apathy (disinterest or reluctance when it comes to doing things) but by having a cat and seeing its needs, you force yourself to be active and do things. If you have depression and don’t feel like going out to buy food, your cat will ask you for food and even if you don’t do it for you, you will end up doing it for him. Thus, it helps to activate and reduce the effects of depression as well as prevent it, since if we feel comfortable with them, suffering from this disorder is less frequent. have a cat It generates a feeling of well-being that is produced by the release of oxytocin, which produces a calming and relaxing effect on the body and therefore, with the feeling of well-being it is more difficult for a mood disorder to develop. If you think you are in a situation of depression, it is important that you consult with a professional psychologist.
7. Reduces the feeling of loneliness
The fact of arriving home and not finding it empty is something that makes us feel good. Plus, you can talk to them and they look at you as if they understood what you’re explaining to them, so you won’t have the feeling that you can’t talk to anyone or that no one is listening to you. There are even studies from the universities of Miami and Saint Louis that ensure that the company of these felines covers the social needs of people in a similar way to how humans do. Therefore, another of the benefits of having a cat It is precisely to be able to feel more accompanied in your own home.
There are studies that have also shown that loving a cat, as well as receiving its caresses, improves the immune system and therefore, the defenses are improved and the risk of having diseases is reduced. In this way, it is good have cats at home, since it allows us to improve our immune system.
9. Helps recover from injuries or illnesses
He purr of a cat Not only is it good on an emotional level, but on a physical level it has been proven that it also helps. Thus, these vibratory frequencies help heal infections or inflammations, help strengthen bones, reduce breathing difficulties (dyspnea) and improve injuries to tendons, muscles and ligaments.
10. Helps improve autism symptoms
Although working with horses or dogs is more common, the cats They also help promote communication in children with autism spectrum disorders, since these types of children feel a greater connection with pets than with peers. As oxytocin is released when a cat is petted, it helps increase feelings of love and trust, and for this reason they can communicate better with cats than with humans.
These are some of the benefits of having a cat by your side For this reason, if you are hesitating between having or not having this pet, these advantages of having a cat can help you make a good decision.
Can therapies be done with cats?
The French veterinarian Jean-Yves Gauchet discovered a few years ago that the cats They recover better than dogs after an injury or fracture. He began to suspect that perhaps it was due to the purring of these animals since they do it when they are comfortable and happy but also when they are stressed or when they suffer.
This is how this veterinarian’s idea arose to do a study and therefore prove the effectiveness of the purr in humans. He divided the group into two, on the one hand people who had to be at home without the company of a cat, and on the other hand people who had to live with cats for a time. The results of the study were very revealing, since it was clearly demonstrated that the group that had been living with cats enjoyed a greater sense of serenity, tranquility, slept better and felt a higher rate of emotional well-being than the control group, which did not. I had been with cats.
Subsequent to this study, many others have been carried out that have corroborated the idea that have a cat It helps to have better physical and psychological health. The company of these animals improves the feeling of well-being and tranquility. Furthermore, those people who have this type of pet at home claim that their quality of life has improved substantially since living with cats. If the ancient Egyptians (cradle of modern medicine) already said it, they claimed that being surrounded by cats was beneficial for health and was a sign of good luck, so there must be a reason.
More studies are currently being carried out that relate the purr with improvements in physical health, and it is being shown that it helps improve blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, helping to mitigate chronic pain, stomach inflammation pain, menstrual pain, and facilitating regeneration of new tissues.
What exactly is purring?
The cats They make a humming sound through the contraction of the muscles of the larynx, moving the vocal cords and dilating the glottis, and the result of all that vibration is the sound of purring. This movement is regular and rhythmic, in time with the animal’s breathing at a slow pace (about 20-30 breaths per minute) and at a low frequency, between 20 and 25 hertz.
Why is a cat’s purring considered therapeutic?
The frequency of between 20 and 25 hertz has been shown to generate emotions in people in the same way that music does, since it connects the body with the areas of the brain that have to do with emotions. Furthermore, this vibration frequency is the same as that used in electrotherapy ultrasounds when we go to rehabilitation after an injury or fracture to accelerate the muscle or bone recovery process.
So, the cats purring produces physical and emotional benefits that help reduce stress and anxiety levels. On a psychological level, listening to purring activates one of the happiness hormones, serotonin, which helps improve mood, preventing depression and also improving sleep quality. Serotonin works as a neurotransmitter, that is, it connects the brain with the rest of the body and sends the signal of calm, fullness and serenity to the person, thus relaxing muscles and, therefore, the body and mind.
“If I had to choose a universal sound for peace, I would vote for the purr of a cat”
