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Effects on human health[edit]

Because of their small size, domesticated house cats pose little physical danger to adult humans. However, in the USA cats inflict about 400,000 bites per year. This number represents about one in ten of all animal bites.[1] Cat bites may become infected,[2] sometimes with serious consequences such as cat-scratch disease, or, very rarely, rabies.[1] Cats may also pose a danger to pregnant women and immunosuppressed individuals, since their feces, in rare cases, can transmit toxoplasmosis.[3] A large percentage of cats are infected with this parasite, with infection rates ranging from around 40 to 60% in both domestic and stray cats worldwide.[4][5][6] Research indicates a correlation between the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which sexually reproduces exclusively in cats, and numerous human psychiatric conditions, including OCD.[7] The compulsive hoarding of cats, a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), has long been associated with "crazy cat ladies".[8]

Allergic reactions to cats are relatively common, happening in as many as every 3 in 10 Americans.[9] The major allergen, Fel d 1, is found in the saliva and/or dander of all cat breeds.[10] There have been attempts to breed hypoallergenic cats, which would be less likely to provoke an allergic reaction but.[11][12] Some humans who are allergic to cats—typically manifested by hay fever, asthma, or a skin rash—quickly acclimate themselves to a particular animal and live comfortably in the same house with it, while retaining an allergy to cats in general.[13][better source needed] Whether the risk of developing allergic diseases such as asthma is increased or decreased by cat ownership is uncertain.[14][15] Some owners cope with this problem by taking allergy medicine, along with bathing their cats frequently, since weekly bathing will reduce the amount of dander shed by a cat.[16]

As well as posing health risks, interactions with cats may improve health and reduce physical responses to stress: for example the presence of cats may moderately decrease blood pressure.[17] Cat ownership may also improve psychological health by providing emotional support and dispelling feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness.[18]: 23–56  Their ability to provide companionship and friendship are common reasons given for owning a cat.[19]

From another point of view, cats are thought to be able to improve the general mood of their owners by alleviating negative attitudes. According to a Swiss study carried out in 2003, cats may change the overall psychological state of their owner as their company's effect appears to be comparable to that of a human partner.[20] The researchers concluded that, while cats were not shown to promote positive moods, they do alleviate negative ones.

The purring from cats is also believed to contain healing properties. An individual cat's purring can range from 20 Hz up to 150 Hz.[21] These vibration levels have been proven to aid in bone growth and repair. A year-long study done by Dr. Clinton Rubin and his team found that bones of older sheep began showing signs of repair after being exposed to 30 Hz of vibrations for 20 minutes, five days a week.[22] For humans, vibrational therapy has been found to not only aid in bone repair but also strengthen tendons and joints.[23] Cats purrs are believed to work similarly on the human body alongside reducing risk of blood pressure, heart disease, and symptoms of dyspnea.[24]

One study found that cat ownership is associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes at the 95% confidence interval.[25]

Several studies have shown that cats develop affection towards their owners. However, the effect of these pets on human health is closely related to the time and effort the cat owner is able to invest in it, in terms of bonding and playing.[26]

Therapy cats[edit]

Some cats, called "therapy cats" are trained to help ailing humans in a medically beneficial way to take advantage of the human-animal interaction for purposes of relaxation and healing. Certain breeds are desirable when looking into therapy cats due to their personality and temperament. Some examples of preferred breeds are Ragdolls, Main Coons, American Shorthairs, Siamese, and Persians.[27] The important traits to look for in a cat include a steady demeanor with tolerance to sights and sounds that are unfamiliar or sudden, petting that could be awkward or rough, and the ability to stay calm when being poked or pulled in unusual manners. Therapy cats must also be acclimated to humans of all ages and enjoy engaging with strangers daily. Some therapy cats are used as alternatives to therapy dogs due to the cats size and nature, allowing them to work with patients/people who might otherwise be scared of dogs. Therapy cats should still be accustomed to dogs since most visits happen in conjunction with one another. [28]

The presence of cats in addition to their purring as well as petting them can deliver both psychological and physical benefits.[29] Therapy cats are being used as companions to help the recovery and well-being of people who have had strokes,[30] high blood pressure,[31][32] anxiety,[31][32] and/or depression to name a few.[32]

Therapy cats are utilized as companions at juvenile detention centers;[33][34] for children with developmental disabilities;[33][34] and for children with language, speech and hearing difficulties.[35] Therapy cats are also sometimes used in hospitals to relax children who are staying there,[36] as well as helping those in hospice care cope with their terminal illness. [37]

  1. ^ a b Kravetz JD, Federman DG (2002). "Cat-associated zoonoses". Arch. Intern. Med. 162 (17): 1945–52. doi:10.1001/archinte.162.17.1945. PMID 12230416.
  2. ^ Talan DA, Citron DM, Abrahamian FM, Moran GJ, Goldstein EJ (1999). "Bacteriologic analysis of infected dog and cat bites. Emergency Medicine Animal Bite Infection Study Group". N. Engl. J. Med. 340 (2): 85–92. doi:10.1056/NEJM199901143400202. PMID 9887159.
  3. ^ Torda A (2001). "Toxoplasmosis. Are cats really the source?". Aust Fam Physician. 30 (8): 743–7. PMID 11681144.
  4. ^ Svobodová V, Knotek Z, Svoboda M (1998). "Prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies specific to Toxoplasma gondii in cats". Vet. Parasitol. 80 (2): 173–6. doi:10.1016/S0304-4017(98)00201-5. PMID 9870370.
  5. ^ Meireles LR, Galisteo AJ, Pompeu E, Andrade HF (2004). "Toxoplasma gondii spreading in an urban area evaluated by seroprevalence in free-living cats and dogs". Trop. Med. Int. Health. 9 (8): 876–81. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01280.x. PMID 15303992. S2CID 35384028.
  6. ^ De Craeye S, Francart A, Chabauty J (2008). "Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Belgian house cats". Vet. Parasitol. 157 (1–2): 128–32. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.07.001. PMID 18707811.
  7. ^ "How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy - Kathleen McAuliffe". The Atlantic. 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  8. ^ D.J. Moran; Jennifer L. Patterson (2011-06-16). "When More Isn't Enough". Psychology Today.
  9. ^ "Allergic to Your Pet? Learn about Dog and Cat Allergies". www.aafa.org. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  10. ^ Erwin EA, Woodfolk JA, Custis N, Platts-Mills TA (2003). "Animal danders". Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 23 (3): 469–81. doi:10.1016/S0889-8561(03)00004-3. PMID 14524386.
  11. ^ Miller, Henry (2005). "Cat and Mouse in Regulating Genetic 'Enhancement'". Nature Biotechnology. 23 (2): 171–172. doi:10.1038/nbt0205-171. PMID 15696141. S2CID 20754103.
  12. ^ Satorina, Julia; Szalai, Krisztina; Willensdorfer, Anna; Mothes-Luksch, Nadine; Lukschal, Anna; Jensen-Jarolim, Erika (17 March 2014). "Do hypoallergenic cats exist? -- Determination of major cat allergen Fel d 1 production in normal and hypoallergenic cat breeds". Clinical and Translational Allergy. 4 (2): P11. doi:10.1186/2045-7022-4-S2-P11. ISSN 2045-7022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  13. ^ "Dealing with cat allergies" (PDF). animaltrustees.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2007.
  14. ^ Simpson A, Custovic A (2003). "Early pet exposure: friend or foe?". Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 3 (1): 7–14. doi:10.1097/00130832-200302000-00002. PMID 12582308. S2CID 5713721.
  15. ^ Simpson A, Custovic A (2005). "Pets and the development of allergic sensitization". Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 5 (3): 212–20. doi:10.1007/s11882-005-0040-x. PMID 15842959. S2CID 22582593.
  16. ^ Avner, D. B.; Perzanowski, M. S.; Platts-Mills, T. A.; Woodfolk, J. A. (1997). "Evaluation of different techniques for washing cats: quantitation of allergen removed from the cat and the effect on airborne Fel d 1". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 100 (3): 307–312. doi:10.1016/S0091-6749(97)70242-2. PMID 9314341.
  17. ^ Allen, K.; Blascovich, J.; Mendes, W. B. (2002). "Cardiovascular reactivity and the presence of pets, friends, and spouses: the truth about cats and dogs". Psychosom Med. 64 (5): 727–739. doi:10.1097/01.PSY.0000024236.11538.41. PMID 12271103. S2CID 32265127.
  18. ^ Fogle, Bruce, ed. (1981). Interrelations Between People and Pets. Charles C. Thomas Pub. Ltd. ISBN 0-398-04169-5.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gallup was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Turner, Dennis C.; Rieger, G.; Gygax, L. (2003). "Abstract: 'Spouses and Cats and Their Effects on Human Mood'". ScientificCommons.org. Berlin: magazine.One UG. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  21. ^ "There's Magic in that Purr". Wildlife Conservation Network. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  22. ^ Chan, M. Ete; Uzer, Gunes; Rubin, Clinton T. (March 2013). "The Potential Benefits and Inherent Risks of Vibration as a Non-Drug Therapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis". Current Osteoporosis Reports. 11 (1): 36–44. doi:10.1007/s11914-012-0132-1. ISSN 1544-1873. PMC 3586310. PMID 23371467.
  23. ^ Cerciello, S.; Rossi, S.; Visonà, E.; Corona, K.; Oliva, F. (January 2019). "Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice". Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal. 06 (1): 147–56. doi:10.32098/mltj.01.2016.18. PMC 4915454. PMID 27331044.
  24. ^ "Is There Healing Power in a Cat's Purr? | Orthopedics This Week". ryortho.com. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  25. ^ Qureshi, A. I.; Memon, M. Z.; Vazquez, G.; Suri, M. F. (2009). "Cat Ownership and the Risk of Fatal Cardiovascular Diseases". Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology. 2 (1): 132–135. PMC 3317329. PMID 22518240.
  26. ^ Serpell, J. (3 October 2011). "Beneficial Effects of Pet Ownership on Some Aspects of Human Health and Behaviour". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 84 (12): 717–720. doi:10.1177/014107689108401208. PMC 1295517. PMID 1774745.
  27. ^ "10 Best Emotional Support Cats Breeds". ESA Registration of America. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Therapy Cats & Rabbits – Love On A Leash®". Love on a Leash. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  29. ^ Bernstein, Penny L. (2007). "The Human-Cat Relationship". The Welfare Of Cats. Springer Netherlands. pp. 47–89. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-3227-1_3. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  30. ^ Linda Wilson Fuoco (24 July 2010). "Pet Tales: Paralyzed therapy cat inspires patients". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  31. ^ a b "Pet therapy for humans who need it most". Naperville Sun. Associated Press. 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  32. ^ a b c "Even hairless Sphynx cats give patients a warm, fuzzy feeling". USA Today. Associated Press. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  33. ^ a b "Missing NY therapy cat found". The Wall Street Journal. Associated Press. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  34. ^ a b staff writer (4 March 2011). "Jersey City dance school mourns loss of therapy cat". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  35. ^ SHELBY GRAD (4 June 1993). "Countywide : Show Cats Just Purrfect for Therapy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  36. ^ Center, AniMeals No-Kill Adoption; Bank, Animal Food (10 April 2012). ""The Special Love of Therapy Cats" (via catsplay.com)". CHECK OUT OUR BLOG. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  37. ^ Tomaszewska, Katarzyna; Bomert, Iga; Wilkiewicz-Wawro, Elżbieta (1 August 2017). "Feline-assisted therapy: Integrating contact with cats into treatment plans". Polish Annals of Medicine. pp. 283–286. doi:10.1016/j.poamed.2016.11.011. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
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