How does owning a cat benefit your health?

Here’s 5 amazing reasons to own a cat!

Sharing your home with a cat means bringing unconditional love into your life. Whether it’s curling up in your lap after a long day or playfully waking you up for breakfast, our feline friends have so many ways of showing us they care. Cats are great pets and are completely adaptable to your living arrangements. Regardless of if you live in a small flat or a large house, cats are able to make themselves at home wherever.

So, here’s five great reasons why you should welcome a new kitty into your home.

Cats are low maintenance

One of the most popular reasons why pet owners choose to get a cat is because of how easy they are to care for. Cats are low maintenance and cost much less than dogs, both to buy and to look after.

Owning a dog also means having to find time in your life to walk them and feed them, grooming costs and not being able to leave them alone for too long. Cats on the other hand don’t demand anything like the same amount of attention that a dog needs. While you’ll still need to feed them and care for them, they won’t need a ton of living space and are capable of occupying themselves for long periods of time.

Cats can lower stress

Do you ever feel all warm and fuzzy at the sight of a cat’s belly? You aren’t the only one! But if you’re ever in need of a stress-reducer, then you should try and give it a stroke. Research has shown that stroking pets helps to reduce the amount of cortisol in our system. The more cortisol we have in our system, the more stressed and anxious we can be.

Not only that, but even a cat’s purr can help lower stress. A cat’s purr is around 25-150 Hertz (Hz), with humans being able to hear up to 20,000 Hz. Research has shown that vibrations at a frequency between 20 and 50 Hz helps increase bone density and can reduce stress in humans by relaxing our muscles.

Cats are independent

Cats are also perfectly happy in their own company. Cats are much more independent than dogs and don’t really need the same amount of attention paid to them. Unlike dogs, domestic cats weren’t bred to spend a huge amount of time around humans and therefore are more than capable of fitting in their life around ours.

Cats can help prevent loneliness

One of the biggest reasons why people decide to get a pet is to for their companionship. Cats are loving creatures and are great at preventing loneliness. The company that cats provide can help to boost your mood and is particularly beneficial to those of us who are feeling stressed or depressed.

Cats have long life spans

Another great reason to get a cat is how long they will stay in your life for. Domestic cats often live for up to 20 years, although there are many factors including their diet, environment and general health which can affect your cat’s lifespan.

Neutering your cat can also help prolong their lifespan. Getting your cat neutered can help prevent reproductive diseases and also means that they are less likely to roam and run into trouble. In general, cats can expect to live between 12 – 18 years, but many dog breeds can reach between 10 – 13 years of age.