Purrfect pets

Science shows cats are purr-fect pets for your health

YOUR CAT CAN CUT YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE

Our feline friends lower stress levels and blood pressure, and you’re less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke, according to an American study. The effect even extended to people who’d owned cats in the past.

PURRING HELPS HEAL MUSCLES, BONES AND TENDONS

Research suggests the sound your contented cat makes has a therapeutic effect. It’s all to do with the frequency. A cat’s purring falls within a frequency range that has been found to improve bone density and promote healing.

SAY “HELLO KITTY” FOR HEALTHIER CHILDREN

There’s evidence that cats can help children with autism communicate better and be more assertive, and that

babies have fewer respiratory and other infections when there’s a moggy around. Children are also less likely to develop allergies.

GET A SHOT OF FELINE FEELGOOD FACTOR

A Cats Protection survey found that 87 per cent of cat owners believed their pet had a positive effect on their sense of wellbeing and 76 per cent said that it helped them cope with everyday life.

Half of cat owners enjoyed the companionship, while a third found stroking their cat to be calming.

DON’T OWN A CAT?

Don’t despair. People who watch cat videos had more energy and were more positive afterwards and felt fewer negative emotions, such as anxiety or irritation, according to a survey from the University of Indiana.