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Research

Benefits of Having a Dog

According to lovethatpet.com

Link to the article. 

COMPANIONSHIP

You already know how good a friend your dog can be. What you might not have noticed is how much more you talk to other people when you’re out with your dog. You’re simply more likely to interact with other humans when your dog is with you than when you are out for a walk by yourself.

EXERCISE

Having a dog also increases the chances you’ll go for walks and play in the park. It’s harder to skip your morning run when your exercise partner is bouncing excitedly at the door with his leash in his mouth. How can you tell him you want to skip walkies today?

Evidence is starting to show that children with dogs have a 50% lower chance of being overweight, as compared with those without. With all the running and walking involved in playing with the family dog, even in the house, maybe this isn’t so surprising after all.

NURTURING

You might have noticed that families are smaller these days. Most people feel a need to nurture that used to be fulfilled by raising a baby or helping to take care of smaller siblings. For people without children and children in small families dogs are increasingly fulfilling the role of substitute child or sibling. The dog gives them someone to care for and nurture with all the positive physical and mental benefits that come with doing so.

EMPATHY

Perhaps the practice in nurturing is the reason behind the observation that kids with dogs tend to be more empathetic than other kids, all else being equal. They also tend to be more popular with their schoolmates and have healthy self-esteem. These are all good things for a child’s emotional and social development, whatever the connection with their canine friend might be.

SOCIAL CAPITAL

Dog-owners tend to interact with other dog-owners in their neighbourhoods. This is true of most groups of people brought together by a common interest, but dog-owners might well meet up several times a day, by chance or design, during walks and playtime at the park. This frequent interaction strengthens the entire community.

READING

Some children read to their dogs. These kids often have higher reading levels than those children who don’t. It’s great for the child and the dog: the dog gets attention and the child gets reading practice. Playing “teacher” with a canine pupil is fun, anyway.

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Some researchers have noticed that pet-owners tend to have shorter stays in the hospital, fewer visits to the doctor’s office, and lower levels of stress overall. Having a pet might also lower your risk of heart disease, by possibly as much as 4%. If this turns out to be true over the long term, that would be a benefit similar to going on a low-salt diet.

Benefits of having a Cat

According to http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/

Link to the article

The top 10 benefits of owning a cat:

• Reduces stress and anxiety: Owning a cat can can be soothing and trigger calming chemicals in the body, decreasing stress and anxiety levels. Cats are known for being low-maintenance, so a simple petting session is often enough to relax owners and distract them from other worries.
• Decreases risk of stroke: Studies show that cat owners are less likely to be at risk for having a stroke than any other pet owner. Scientists speculate this is also because of a cat’s low-maintenance ownership.
• Therapeutic benefits: The calming effect of owning a cat triggers the release of oxytocin, the hormone known for inducing feelings of love and trust. People going through difficult times of grief or mourning report that talking to their pet helps work out their feelings, since it is often easier to talk to something that won’t respond and can’t judge than to another human being. In addition, a study found that children with autism were more likely to be less anxious and calm while petting a cat.
• Boosts immunity: Exposure to pet dander and fur in the house results in increased resistance to allergens, decreasing risk for allergies and asthma.
• Lowers blood pressure: Cat owners are known to have lower blood pressure than non-cat owners due to the calming presence cats provide. One study was conducted with a room full of cat owners. In the study, the owners would speak aloud, which naturally elevated blood pressure levels, but when the owners were observed speaking with their cats, their blood pressure remained constant.
• Decreases risk of heart disease and heart attacks: A study conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Institute in Minneapolis have shown that those who do not own cats are 30-40% more likely to die of heart attacks than their cat-owning counterparts.
• Lowers triglycerides and cholesterol levels: High triglyceride and cholesterol levels contribute to heart disease and are symptomatic of type 2 diabetes as well as strokes, liver and kidney disease. Naturally, reductions in these levels lead to a decreased risk in these diseases.
• Increase sociability: Cat ownership provides a natural conversation starter and can enhance the owner’s ability to socialize. One study revealed that women were more attracted to men who owned cats because cat ownership often suggests sensitivity and intelligence.
• Provide companionship: Owning a cat reduces feelings of loneliness. Though cats are often known for their independence, the bond between a cat and its owner reinforces companionship. A Swiss study conducted in 2003 revealed that owning a cat is similar to having a romantic partner.
• Reduces your carbon footprint:  A 2009 study found that over its lifetime, the resources needed to feed a dog make the same eco-footprint as that of a Hummer. Meanwhile, cats—which eat less in general and are more likely to eat fish than corn or beef flavored products—only have the approximate carbon footprint of a Volkswagen Golf.

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