My Cat, My Therapist

I know my cat makes me feel good, but medical reasearch supports it, so now it’s official. Cats and other pets have warm and positive effects on the elderly, the handicapped, and instutionalized people.

Way back in 1977, Drs Aaron Katcher (“Kat…?”) and Brica Friedmann of the University of Pennsylvania studied the recoveries of heart-attack victims and found that those with pets were more apt to recover and stablize their health in the form of lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and “better attitude” such as an all over sense of well-being.  Medical tests prove that simply petting a cat tends to lower one’s blood pressure.  Heart patients without pets showed a tendency for having additional heart attacks, some resulting in death.

Got your cat, yet?

Another study maintained that pets act as a catalyst for feelings which are eventually transferred to other people.  Those who study pets and people say that animals can bridge the gap between those people who tended to reject others, aiding them in the gradual acceptance of personal relationships.  So, evidently, if you know someone who is a bit unsociable, if they gradually can accept an animal, they’ll be kinder and gentler with people!  Be careful, though, as too much pet company could cause one who is not used to it, to mistreat the animal!

It’s safe to assume, that care-giving, begets care-giving.

-Marisue, the Cat’s Meow!…so…Meow About Your Cat!