Can Owning a Cat Help with Anxiety? Science Says Yes

This article was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.

When you’re living with anxiety, it can be very challenging to find techniques to soothe your symptoms and provide comfort in your day-to-day life. Cat owners around the world will tell you their felines are able to ease their anxiety. Is it in their minds or are cats actually able to provide benefits to people who are experiencing anxiety?

Science tells us that this healing ability in cats is real. When we look after them well, our cats look after us in return. In this article, we’ll share the proven ways owning a pet cat can help with anxiety.

Cats Create a Safe and Calm Space

Sharing your living space with a cat can help turn it from a house into a real home. That’s because cats have a naturally gentle and peaceful presence that helps humans feel relaxed and safe.

Cats have a reputation for being standoffish and emotionally distant. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, our feline friends are extremely intuitive and can sense when we’re not feeling our best. This almost uncanny ability to soothe us at the right times can give us the sense that no matter how terrible our day has been, we have our kitty to come home to.

Cats Are Loyal Companions

Your feline friend will love you forever and won’t ask questions or pass judgment. This kind of unconditional love is something that’s very good for our mental well-being. People who feel isolated or lonely can rely on their cat to be with them when they’re having a bad day.

We all need support in our lives, whether that comes in the form of friends, family, or a therapist. BetterHelp online therapy can help you find ways to cope with anxiety from home, where you feel comfortable. Your cat is another fantastic source of support. Research has shown that the simple act of petting a cat can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness.

Cats Give Us a Sense of Purpose

When you’re living with anxiety, it can be very difficult to get out of bed in the morning. Your cat will probably jump onto your chest at about seven or eight in the morning and insist that you feed them their breakfast. If you try to ignore them, they won’t let you. Getting up to feed your cat creates a routine – and routines are very beneficial for coping with mental illness.

Feeding your kitty, changing the litter box, and giving them a good amount of playtime means you have a sense of structure and purpose in your day. You have a responsibility to look after your cat, which can grow your self-confidence. And as we care well for another little being, we remind ourselves to take care of ourselves too.

Cats Have Positive Vibrations (Literally)

When your cat comes to sit in your lap when you’re experiencing anxiety, they will likely curl up and start purring. But what is that purring sound all about? Scientific studies have discovered that cats purr within the range of 20 – 140 Hz, which is, amazingly, a vibration that’s healing to human beings.

Research has found that the reason cats purr when they’re sitting on your lap is because they want to help heal you. If their purring is able to heal bones, perhaps it has healing benefits for anxiety too. It’s certainly relaxing to fall asleep next to a purring kitty.

Cats Lower Our Stress Levels

Petting your cat has been proven to lower the levels of cortisol in your body – that’s the hormone that causes you to feel stressed. This can give you a sense of peace and comfort that you may not have had otherwise because of living with anxiety. Spending time with a furry companion has also been shown to decrease your heart rate and blood pressure.

One study had people undertake stressful tasks while hooked up to heart rate and blood pressure monitors – some of the people with their cats in the room, the others alone. The cat owners remained the calmest under pressure and made the fewest errors when their cat was present.

They Shift Our Focus

Cats live in the moment. They don’t sit and worry about what the future holds for them, and they don’t think negative thoughts about their past. This can teach us a lot about mindfulness and being present, which can help a lot in coping with anxiety. Just the physical touch of petting your cat can put you in a mindful state.

Your cat’s need for attention is able to snap you out of any overthinking you may be doing and cause you to step back from your negative thoughts for just a little while. You may find that they even make you smile and laugh with their cute behavior. Playing with a cat has been proven to elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which can calm and relax you. In addition, shifting your focus to another being’s needs forces you to put your own problems to one side.

Takeaway

Cats are very therapeutic for people who are living with anxiety. It’s important that you take good care of your cat, giving them everything they need for a healthy and happy life. This forms a relationship of trust and love, which can make you feel calmer and more grateful. By reducing our stress, keeping us company, and making our home feel more peaceful, our feline friends have a lot to offer us.