The surprising reason why cat owners live longer: find out why cats make us happier and healthier
Cats keep secrets. We whisper to them when we’re lonely or in love or heartbroken, and they don’t judge us. Their homely companionship combined with feline folklore painting them as wise and wily creatures make cats irresistible confidantes.
But how much of this is just us being soppy humans and how much is based in fact?
Feline appeal
True, the age-old belief that cats are familiars for witches is a little far-fetched but there are plenty of real-world reasons for our enduring love.
Cats are the most popular pets in the western world. When life is tough, the internet will make it all better with 31 million (!) funny cat videos on YouTube to choose from.
However, while cats are renowned for being the cutest clowns around – adorably fluffy, remarkably brave, undeniably stupid and all with a slightly spooky air about them – the feline appeal doesn’t stop there.
A 2011 survey by the Mental Health Foundation and Cats Protection found that 87% of cat owners feel their pets have a positive impact on their wellbeing, with 76% who find coping with everyday life easier thanks to their kitties. Cats are far less work than dogs but with just as big a return in affection and love.
Non-cat people (or ‘dog people’ as they’re also known...) sometimes look down on cat lovers, believing theirs is the only pet that can offer emotional support. But that’s simply not true – cats are very in tune with human emotions, with many owners reporting that their cats pay them extra attention if they’re in tears or upset. And less effort in caring for cats than dogs means less stress.
Life lessons
An Austrian study conducted in 2003 found that having a cat is the emotional equivalent of having a romantic partner (arguably also less stress?).
Looking after pets can bring structure to the day, make you feel less isolated and – importantly – keep you connected to the outside world.
For children, learning how to care for others is a key life lesson, and getting unequivocally positive responses is buoying.
As well as initiating contact much of the time, studies have shown cats remember kindness shown to them and return the favour later. Frequently. Enthusiastically. Often when you’re trying to work...
Despite this, ironically, one of the main things cats can teach is boundaries and respect. Anyone who has had a cat knows you cannot force them to do anything they don’t want to.
When cats are happy, they tell you. When they’re unhappy, they tell you. Another life lesson many humans have yet to learn...
Purr-fect
Cats offer much in the way of sensory pleasure. The sight of those excitable balls of fluff in the hallway when we come home, wrapping themselves around our legs. That look of pleasure on their faces – eyes scrunched up, cheek turned towards you – as you scratch under their chin. Curled up in a tight circle on the end of the bed, warm and fuzzy (them and us).
A cat’s purr is an audible massage. Beth Skillings, Cats Protection’s clinical veterinary officer says: “Sitting with a relaxed, purring cat at the end of a hectic day is a soothing massage for the soul. Perhaps this is because the reassuring hum is generally associated with calmness and gentle communication, or perhaps it is because the frequency of the vibration is in the range that can stimulate healing.”
"Sitting with a relaxed, purring cat at the end of a hectic day is a soothing massage for the soul."
Beth Skillings, Cats Protection
And what makes them purr? Stroking your cat triggers the production of oxytocin (the bonding hormone) which in turn reduces the stress hormone cortisol, making you feel happy and relaxed.
As well as oxytocin, playing with your cat may increase the production of dopamine and mood-boosting serotonin, which antidepressants like Prozac work to regulate.
And these physiological benefits really do make a difference. One study found that over a 10-year period, cat owners were 30% less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than non-cat owners.
Treasured time
While they help us stick around for longer, cats aren’t with us for long enough. On average, cats live for around 15 to 17 years, although some exceptional cats are still bright-eyed and bushy tailed well into their twenties.
Anyone who’s experienced the death of a cat knows how empty your home can feel without a beloved pet. Their absence is felt so keenly that most cat people don’t stay cat-less for long.
Once their nine lives are up though, cats live on in family folklore – ‘remember that time we saw Monkey hanging from the washing line?’ And they live on, too, in how our kids respond to both animals and humans.
New parents often worry about how the cat will take to a new arrival, but once the baby years are out of the way, a lifelong empathy, compassion and responsibility grows from early pet ownership, alongside physical health benefits like fewer allergies and asthma.
Children raised with pets have shown to be far more sociable as adults and have better communication skills.
From child to crazy cat lady, kitty to moggy, humans and cats are inextricably linked on a life journey together – emotion and science woven together at last, like a tabby tail twisted around your ankles. Why?
There’s the nub – the silent, serene mystery that’s catnip to us, a blend of unrequited love, unbelievable cuteness and, well, who knows? “What greater gift than the love of a cat,” said Dickens. What, indeed?
Model your cat in paper
Enjoy some cat creativity by making papier-mâché moggies. Don’t stress the details – think of it as a 3D doodle!
You will need:
- Newspaper
- Plain newspaper
- Tissue paper in two colours
- Sharp scissors
- Mod Podge (or PVA glue – Mod Podge gives a nicer finish but it’s harder to get off clothes and carpets!)
- Masking tape
- Small stiff paintbrush
- Black fineliner pen
- Metallic or gel pens (optional)
How to do it:
Step 1
First make the core shapes for your cat. Scrunch a sheet or two of newspaper really firmly to make a flattened oval shape for the body, securing tightly with masking tape, then fold a rough pyramid for the head.
Tape the head and body together. Use scissors to make a small hole in the cat’s bottom (sorry, cat!) and poke in a length of florists’ wire for the tail. (This is also how you add legs if you want to.)
Step 2
Tear a thin strip of newspaper and secure above the tail with masking tape. Now wrap around the length of the tail, sticking it with tape as needed.
Fold tiny triangles of newspaper around your fingertip to make the ears. Now bulk up the body with more newspaper – pad out the thighs, chest and back, taping any errant paper ends.
Step 3
Cut postage stamp-sized squares of plain newspaper.
Cover your cat in a layer of this paper and Mod Podge (or PVA glue) – paint a little Mod Podge over a section, use the damp brush to pick up and place a couple of squares, then paint more Mod Podge on top.
Step 4
Snip squares of tissue paper in the base colour you’ve chosen for your cat.
Repeat the Mod Podge process to cover the cat – if the glue is too sticky for the delicate paper, you can mix in a little water to thin it. Use a small paintbrush to push the tissue paper into the awkward corners.
Step 5
Choose a contrasting shade of tissue paper and snip out some markings for your cat.
Place the pieces and paint over with more Mod Podge. Allow the cat to dry completely.
Step 6
Once your cat is dry, use pens to pick out a few details. More Mod Podge and tissue paper will cover any mistakes!
Project by Jenny Phin
Make a bed for your furry friend
Give your cat some extra snuggly comfort with this DIY cat bed project.
No reproduction without permission.
