Is there a health benefit of pet ownership? In this article I will demonstrate that there are indeed several benefits of pet ownership and not all of them are immediately apparent.

Exercise

This applies more particularly to dog owners I suppose because every dog, no matter how big or how small, needs some sort of activity to keep it fit and stop it getting bored. Walking a dog is great exercise and as it is usually a daily activity then both pet and owner benefit.

This of course does not apply to cat owners although if you have ever tried to catch a cat to give it a tablet then you will certainly have had a good workout!

Socialising

Sharing a common interest can often increase social interaction which can only be a good thing (unless it is the wrong sort of interaction!). Many people strike up friendships with others while walking their dog and of course thee are online groups dedicated to any pet imaginable. Joining one of these can be very rewarding.

Companionship

It is always nice to have friends. I believe that for most of us it helps us to keep on an even keel. For people living alone then a pet can often fill much of the gap left by lack of human company. A loyal pet that is always there to greet you when you come home is something I enjoy. Our cat ,Gracie, will often be sitting on a neighbours wall when we get home and will accompany one or both of us from the car to the house.

Good Vibes

Recent research from the University of Minnesota carried out over the past ten years has come up with some rather more baffling findings however. This health benefit from pet ownership is lmore related to cats than any other animals and the finding are pretty convincing.

Cat owners would appear to be 40% less likely to suffer from heart attacks than non cat owners and although the next bit of the research is perhaps not as certain it would seem to be related to the cats purr.

It is thought that a cats purr is related to its own comfort of course and is a way for the cat to communicate with its kittens. The soothing affect of the purring however seems not only to settle kittens but also seems to do the same for other mammals, namely we humans.

It would explain also why cat petting sessions are sometimes introduced, and have positive benefits, at retirement or convalescent homes. That is how cats improve health by spreading calm. This in turn lowers the levels of cortisol in the body (associated with stress) and with that a reduction in blood pressure follows.

So you see there is a definite health benefit to pet ownership and particularly in some research that shows cats improve health just by being around.