The Healing Power of Pets
For centuries, people have felt a deep emotional bond with their furry companions. The loyalty, affection, and comfort pets provide can have a profoundly positive impact on human health and wellbeing. But can our four-legged friends actually help heal us when we’re sick or suffering? An emerging body of research suggests they just might.
The Human-Animal Bond
Research shows that human-animal bonds can provide many benefits, especially when it comes to cats. Studies have found that cats can form secure attachments to their human caretakers similar to human-infant relationships and dog-human bonds (https://www.sciencealert.com/cats-bond-securely-to-their-humans-maybe-even-more-than-dogs-do-research-shows). This is likely due to the fact that during domestication, cats have evolved to read human social cues and communicate with people.
One 2021 study categorized four types of cat-human relationships based on surveys of over 3,300 cat owners (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228645/). The most common bond was a “friendly relationship,” characterized by an affectionate, trusting cat and an invested, caring owner. This type of bond allows cats to provide companionship and emotional support to their human caretakers.
Research also shows that interacting with cats releases oxytocin in humans, the hormone associated with bonding, trust, and wellbeing. Petting cats has also been shown to reduce stress and lower anxiety (https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2021-10-15/cats-and-power-human-animal-bond). Therefore, human-cat bonds can provide many psychological and emotional benefits to cat owners.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety
One of the most significant ways cats can improve people’s health is by reducing stress and anxiety. When we bond with pets, our brains release “feel good” hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. At the same time, petting cats has been shown to decrease the production of the stress hormone cortisol.
Multiple studies have found that time spent with therapy cats leads to lower anxiety levels for everyone from autistic children to hospital patients awaiting surgery. Simply petting a cat can lower heart rate and blood pressure, providing a sense of calm.
Cats seem especially adept at reducing anxiety. Their purring and kneading behaviors release endorphins that make us feel relaxed. Cats also provide a source of gentle affection and comfort. Their soothing presence helps those suffering from chronic stress find moments of peace. Overall, cats have repeatedly been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety, panic, and worry in their human companions.
Lower Blood Pressure
Multiple studies have shown that owning a cat can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. One study found that over a 6 month period, cat owners had lower systolic blood pressure readings compared to non-cat owners. This effect was especially pronounced in stressed individuals (Source).
Researchers believe that petting and interacting with a cat releases the hormone oxytocin, which reduces stress and lowers blood pressure. The calming presence of a cat may also benefit cardiovascular health by moderating heart rate and blood pressure spikes during times of anxiety or tension.
While more research is still needed, current evidence indicates cats can help regulate blood pressure through their soothing effects. For those at risk of hypertension or heart disease, adopting a feline companion could provide measurable cardiovascular benefits.
Increased Oxytocin
When humans interact with cats, such as through petting, levels of oxytocin increase in both the human and the cat (Johnson, 2021). Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the “love hormone” or “cuddle chemical” because it promotes bonding, trust, and wellbeing. In fact, oxytocin is released when mothers breastfeed their babies, couples bond, and friends connect – it reinforces social connections. One study found that when women petted and talked to their cats, their oxytocin levels increased significantly, indicating the human-animal bond at work (Johnson, 2021).
Interestingly, oxytocin levels also rise in cats when they interact with trusted humans. Research shows that when cats make eye contact, communicate vocally, rub against people, or receive petting, their oxytocin levels increase, facilitating social attachment (Nagasawa et al., 2021). An increase in oxytocin benefits cats by reducing stress and anxiety.
Therefore, when humans and cats engage in positive interactions together, oxytocin is released in both species. This contributes to the profound human-animal bond and supports human wellbeing.
Boosted Immunity
Having cats as pets may help to boost people’s immune function by reducing stress and increasing oxytocin levels. Studies have shown that interacting with pets causes a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol. According to research, exposure to a therapy cat was shown to lower cortisol levels in humans[1]. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol weaken the immune system over time, so reducing stress through pet interactions can strengthen immunity.
Oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone,” is increased by social bonding and is known to reduce stress as well. Playing with and petting cats has been shown to boost oxytocin in owners[2]. Thus, the social bond between cats and their owners results in physiological changes that support immune function.
By decreasing stress and increasing oxytocin, interactions with cats provide immune-boosting benefits for cat owners. The impact is increased resistance to viruses and infections due to the suppression of stress hormones and promotion of bonding hormones.
Improved Mood
Research has demonstrated that cats can help lift moods and reduce symptoms of depression in their owners. One study published in Effects of the characteristic temperament of cats on human mood and heart rate variables found that interacting with cats helped improve the moods of college students, with the most positive effects coming from more social and active cats. The researchers measured mood using a standard psychological assessment tool before and after students interacted with cats and found significant improvements in mood.
Other studies have shown similar effects. Cats can provide companionship and affection, which helps owners feel less lonely. The soothing, repetitive motion of petting a cat can also induce relaxation. For those struggling with depression and anxiety, having a cat provides a source of comfort and pleasure. Simply taking care of a cat’s basic needs can give owners a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The purring vibration of cats has even been shown to have calming effects on the brain.
Social Support
One of the biggest ways cats provide health benefits is by offering social support and companionship. According to the AKC Reunite, “Because of a cat’s ability to calm us, lower our stress levels, and offer companionship, they are great therapy animals for a wide variety of uses and patients.” Cats provide a source of comfort, affection, and acceptance that helps people feel less lonely. Research has shown that having a pet cat is linked to less depression, anxiety, and mood disorders (https://www.akcreunite.org/catsimprovementalhealth/). Cats serve as friends and confidants, providing an emotional connection. This companionship and bonding can boost a person’s overall mental health.
Caveats
While having a cat can provide numerous health benefits, it’s important to note that cats cannot cure illnesses or replace proper medical care. Simply having a cat will not magically heal someone who is sick. Proper diagnosis, treatment, and management of illness and disease still require consultation with medical professionals.
Cats can be a wonderful supplement to traditional health care by reducing stress, anxiety, and loneliness. However, their comforting presence and abilities to lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and improve mood have limits. Cats cannot take the place of medication, surgery, therapy, or other interventions prescribed by a doctor.
Individuals with contagious illnesses need to take precautions with pet interactions. Though the transmission risk is low, people should follow their physician’s guidance regarding pet contact if they have a compromised immune system.
While cats can be excellent emotional support animals, they should not be viewed as an alternative to professional mental health care for conditions like depression or anxiety. Instead, time with a therapy cat can provide additional social support in conjunction with counseling, medication, or other therapy.
Cats can improve health and quality of life but have limitations in their healing abilities. Responsible pet ownership means continuing to follow medical advice while enjoying the supplemental benefits of the human-feline bond.
Conclusion: The Healing Power of Human-Cat Bonds
There is compelling evidence that human-cat bonds can have medical and emotional healing benefits. While more research is still needed, the available studies show that cats can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, release the bonding hormone oxytocin, boost immunity, and lift moods. For many people, the social support and unconditional love from a cat is invaluable during illness or difficult times. However, cats should not replace medical treatment and their benefits may vary. Overall, having a close bond with a cat has the potential to aid the healing process and improve a person’s well-being.