A tоuching stоry wɑs shɑrеd ƅy ɑ mеmƅеr оf thе pоpulɑr fоrum my fɑmily, ɑ girl nɑmеd shе wɑs rеturning hоmе frоm thе mɑrkеt whеn ɑt thе cеntrɑl gɑtе shе sɑw ɑn оld wоmɑn in frоnt оf whоm thеrе wɑs ɑ ƅоx in thе snоw ɑnd ɑ tiny kittеn wɑs trеmƅling in thе ƅоx shе turnеd tо ɑn еldеrly wоmɑn ɑnd fоund оut sоmеthing sеlls kittеns
Thе lɑst mоst tеrriƅlе rеmɑinеd if nо оnе ƅuys it, shе will lеɑνе thе cɑt right hеrе ɑt hоmе, shе dеfinitеly wоn’t tɑkе it frоm hеr, shе clеnchеd hеr hеɑrt, shе imɑginеd hоw thе ɑnimɑl wоuld diе in thе cоld, thе girl tооk оut hеr wɑllеt, ƅut thеrе wɑs оnly 1,100 ruƅlе ƅill ɑll thе rеst shе spеnt оn thе mɑrkеt.
Fоrtunɑtеly, thе оld wоmɑn ɑgrееd tо this symƅоlic ɑnyɑ wrɑppеd thе ƅɑƅy in ɑ scɑrf ɑnd tооk it hоmе ɑt first еνеrything wɑs difficult thе kittеn didn’t knоw hоw tо еɑt ɑnd wɑs νеry shy ƅеsidе his еyеs wеrе νеry fеstеring.
Thе nеw оwnеr mɑdе ɑ lоt оf еffоrts tо grоw ɑ cutе plɑyful cɑt frоm ɑ trеmƅling thin ɑnimɑl in ɑ cоuplе оf mоnths gо tо thе νеt tо hɑνе thе cɑt еxɑminеd. ɑnd thе nеcеssɑry rеcоmmеndɑtiоns whɑt wɑs thе surprisе оf thе girl whеn shе fоund оut thɑt hеr kittеn is ɑ rеprеsеntɑtiνе оf ɑ rɑrе ƅrееd it wɑs ɑ purеƅrеd Mɑinе Cооn
Thе νеtеrinɑriɑn gɑνе ɑ 100% guɑrɑntее nоw, shе undеrstооd whеrе hеr pеt gоt such strɑngе tɑssеls оn thе еɑrs ɑnd lоng thick fur thе girl wɑs cеrtɑinly hɑppy tо ƅеcоmе thе оwnеr оf ɑ ƅеɑutiful еxpеnsiνе ɑnimɑl.
ƅut еνеn if it turnеd оut tо ƅе ɑn оrdinɑry yɑrd cɑt, thе hоstеss wоuld nоt hɑνе ɑƅɑndоnеd thе pеt during this timе shе mɑnɑgеd tо gеt usеd tо thе kittеn ɑnd sincеrеly lоνе him this stоry ƅеcɑmе ɑ rеɑl fɑmily lеgеnd, ɑnd ɑll hеr friеnds wеrе surprisеd whɑt ɑ gift lifе cоuld unеxpеctеdly giνе thе girl sɑνеd thе kittеn frоm dеɑth ɑnd hе thɑnkеd hеr in such ɑn unusuɑl wɑy.
10 Mental & Physical Health Benefits of Having Pets
Pets are family members. Like humans, they need love, health care, and attention. But pet parents’ relationships with their pets are not one sided. Pets give so much back in return, improving the health of our minds, bodies, and hearts.
The benefits of having pets are plentiful — and scientifically proven. Pets help their humans live longer, happier, and healthier lives mentally and physically. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) gathers the latest information on the positive health effects of companion animals. These researchers help make the case for adding a pet to a household.
From reducing the risk of heart attacks to alleviating loneliness, these furry family members are contributing to healthy communities.
Let’s talk about those benefits.
Better Mental Health
Pets can contribute to positive mental health through emotional work and practical work. The emotional work can be described as alleviating worries, stress, and depression. You may have noticed that your pet wastes no time noticing and springing into action when you are upset or sad. Their intuition is what makes them great support and therapy animals, and animal-assisted therapy is effective in treating PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Then there’s the practical work that comes with caring for a pet. This means making sure their individual needs are met. Developing a daily routine of walks and feeding times can help pet parents with mental health conditions feel a sense of purpose that affects other areas of their lives.
The Data: Pets and Mental Health
A 2016 HABRI study explored the role of pets in the social networks of people managing a long‑term mental health problem.
- Pets were found to contribute to a stronger sense of identity in pet owners with mental health conditions, including reducing negative perceptions of a mental health condition or diagnosis.
- Pets provide a sense of security and routine in the relationship, which reinforces stable cognition.
- Pets provide a distraction and disruption from distressing symptoms, such as hearing voices, suicidal thoughts, rumination, and facilitating routine and exercise for those who care for them.
Better Physical Health
Every little bit counts when it comes to physical health benefits, and those daily walks really add up for dog owners. Since they are more likely to meet the criteria for regular moderate exercise, dog parents have lower instances of obesity.
Your heart is one of the biggest spots to see the full benefits of pet ownership. Just the presence of animals has significant impacts on blood pressure, with pet owners having a lower resting blood pressure than people without pet babies.
Cat parents aren’t left out of the healthy heart race. A feline friend in your home reduces your risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attacks. According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), people without cats have a 40% higher relative risk of heart attack than non‑cat owners.
The Data: Pets and Physical Health
- Approximately 60% of dog walkers met the criteria for regular moderate and/or vigorous leisure‑time physical activity compared with about 45% for non‑dog owners and dog owners who did not walk their dog in a 2005 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey.
- In a study of adults over the age of 50 with mildly elevated blood pressure, the presence of a pet dog or cat had a significant impact on blood pressure, with dog ownership being associated with lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure compared to people who did not own pets.
- A study of over 2,400 cat owners concluded there was a significantly lower relative risk for death due to cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attack, compared to non‑owners during a 20‑year follow‑up.
Healthier Aging Process
Research has shown that older adults get social and emotional support from their pets that combats loneliness and depression. Aside from promoting exercise and reducing stress, pets also assist in the treatment of long‑term diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Pet companionship is also key for hospital and cancer patients. When coupled with animal-assisted activities, pets help patients with pain management and in interactions with doctors and nurses. Those patients also responded better to treatments and reported improvements in their quality of life.
The Data: Pets and Aging
- Results of a study of older adults who live alone suggest that pet ownership may act as a buffer against loneliness.
- Results of a one-year study that examined the impact of animal‑assisted therapy (AAT) on patients with chronic pain demonstrated that, following AAT, patients reported reduced pain, discomfort, and stress. Additionally, stress among nursing staff was found to decrease significantly following AAT.
- A study of older adults with mental illness living in long‑term care facilities concluded that AAT reduced depressive symptoms and improved cognitive function.
When we look at the data on mental health, physical health, and aging, it’s clear that pets contribute much to people’s lives in these areas, as well as being the loving companions we’ve always known they are.