A list of benefits to having a dog and/or cat!

By Nao Mitsutomi
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a huge animal lover! We all know that pets are wonderful, sweet, amazing companions that enhance our lives in all aspects–including our own health! Here are some fun science-based facts about the benefits of having a cat and/or dog! 

Cats:

  • They can lower risk of heart disease.
    • Studies have found that owning a cat can lower your stress levels, which in turn affects your risk of cardiovascular disease–they can lower your risk by around 30 percent!
  • Their purring helps to heal bones, muscles, and tendons.
    • Cat purrs create vibrations at a frequency of 20-140 Hz. Studies have shown that frequencies in the 18-35 Hz range have a positive effect on joint mobility after injury, and there have been talks by scientists about how cat purring could help humans!
  • They reduce stress and anxiety.
    • Having cats around can trigger the release of calming chemicals in your body, lowering stress and anxiety levels!

Dogs:

  • They relieve stress and are good for your heart. Literally.
    • One study has found that playing with a dog or even just petting one almost immediately lowers blood pressure and heart rate, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension!
    • The “American Journal of Cardiology” published research about a study of 369 heart attack patients one year after they were released from the hospital, comparing survival rates between pet owners and non-pet owners. The research concluded that the connection between humans and dogs reduces stress–a major cause of cardiovascular problems.
  • Improved mental health.
    • Dog owners are less likely to experience depression compared to non-pet owners. The interaction and love received from a dog can help uplift moods, and even just looking at your pet increases the amount of oxytocin, the “feel good” chemical, in the brain.
  • You’re more resistant to allergies.
    • While dog dander can be a trigger for people with allergies, children who grow up in a house with a dog are less likely to develop allergies throughout the course of their lives!

4 thoughts on “A list of benefits to having a dog and/or cat!”

  1. Thank you very much, I have been looking for it and it was very helpful to me.<a href=”https://www.dhohoo.com/blogs/news/understanding-separation-anxiety-in-dogs”>anxiety in dogs</a>

  2. Great article. I thought about getting a cat or a dog for a long time, and in the end I got both a cat and a dog. At the moment, I do not regret anything, everything is very good

  3. How interesting that you talk about how pets can heal you with their vibration! I want to get a kitten this summer. I will find a good pet care service center in my area as well.

  4. Beverly Minyard

    I like that you mentioned that playing with or even just petting a dog lowers blood pressure. My dad has been having really high blood pressure and he is supposed to be working on lowering it. Maybe I will suggest he get a dog or at least come hang out with my dog a couple of times a week!

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