They Help Relieve Stress
Cat companionship is widely recognized to help reduce stress and anxiety. Think of your cat as a fluffy, walking, whiny stress ball (don't squeeze to hard though!). After terrible day at work, coming to your home and seeing your cat waiting for you on the banister seems to make it all go away. Spending some one-on-one petting time with your cat has been proven to release hormones that reduce stress, effectively decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure. This is why universities all over Canada offer "puppy & cat rooms" temporarily during finals, to help students reduce stress & anxiety during a very stressful time.
Purrfect Companions
Everyone deserves companionship or a feeling of friendship. If this is something you feel like you are missing in your life, adopting a cat may be the perfect solution. Caring for a cat helps those who are lost by fulfilling the feeling of having a purpose. There are many stores you can read about online from people who suffer with suicidal depression, claiming the only thing stopping them from taking their own life was the idea of their cat not understanding why they are gone. Very sad, but a very real phenomenon and a true testament to the effect a therapy cat can have on a human being. Having a cat that will always rely on you and love you unconditionally will encourage a positive outlook and help with many that have bad experiences with negative human relationships.
They Help With Coping
The loss of a loved one isn't easy for anyone. Despite the fact that they are "just cats", they have been proven to be one of the best social and emotional supports during times of grief. I guess it just goes to show that sometimes the best thing to hear when your upset is nothing at all. A cat will never say the wrong thing, they will just spend time with you and give snuggles until your feeling better.
Increase Our Overall Health
By nature, cats (most of them anyways) are very loving and affectionate creatures. Like us, most cats are not perfect. Speaking from experience, my cat is intentionally naughty when I am busy working and she is looking for attention. Even though it can be annoying, it does feel quite flattering to know that this animal wants to spend time with me that badly! Cat companionship is very beneficial to us, mentally and physically. Although a cat may not be a permanent substitute for medication, you cannot deny the many benefits this animal relationship can have on your health. People that suffer from dementia, have experienced sexual assault, or even those that suffer from seizures use and appreciate cats as therapy animals on both an emotional and physical level.
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