So Do Cats Help With Depression And Anxiety
Im hoping you know that answer to this one Y-E-S! Cats do in fact help with depression and anxiety. Arent they amazing?
I hope you have been able to gain some insight into why and how cats help us humans with our over-stressed lives. I am sure I have only scratched the surface in these regards, but nonetheless, I think you get the overall picture of how cats do it. Theyre definitely much more than just a cute ball of fur, dont ya agree?
To wrap this one up, I just want to say thank you very much for all of our followers. You are growing and growing and growing and we cant thank you enough!
We love our baby boy Yoda and just love sharing our love for him with you all! With high hopes that you benefit from our articles and that you have a fun, safe, and happy life with your own furry companion!
Changes In Eating Or Drinking
For the most part, cats are creatures of habit. They enjoy being fed at similar times every day, usually eat about the same amount every day, and thrive off of healthy routine. If a cat drastically changes their eating or drinking behavior, they may be anxious about something in their environment. This can include both eating less and eating more, and should be addressed with a vet.
Lower Stress And Anxiety
Petting or playing with your cat can release all the right chemicals in the brain. There is also evidence that a cats purr can help lower blood pressure and relax the nervous system.
They also help relieve stress and provide anti-anxiety benefits for their owners. Cats are generally low maintenance pets, which mean less stress for their owners, making them ideal pets for those who cant deal with a pets rigorous care.
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How Cats Help A Person With Anxiety
Cats are second of themost preferred household pet. They have interesting personalities, which willvary per breed. And for those who cant deal with the barking and demands ofowning a dog, cats are indispensable options.
For those withanxiety, cats can also be a great companion. Here are some of the reasons whyfelines are great choices:
-They provide company
Many cat breeds lovebeing with their humans. This is what makes them a great company when anxietyattacks set in. Their size rarely becomes as intimidating as dogs. Also, theyhave gentle ways of expressing their love for their owners.
-They are great stress relievers
Studies have found outthat owning a cat relieves stress. Their adorable meows, charming purrs, andmellow disposition make them a fun buddy.
Also, research has found that owning a cat can reduce the risk of stroke by almost a third. This is due to their stress-relieving effect on the person who owns them.
-They are excellent therapy animals
According to experts,the purr of cats ranges between 20 and 140 Hz. Such a level of sound is knownto be therapeutic for humans as it helps in relaxation and lowering bloodpressure.
Moreover, cats are agreat alternative to dogs as therapy animals. Due to their smaller size andindoor nature, they can thrive in apartment living.
-They give you better sleep
How Cats Help Improve Mental Health
By Chelsy Ranard, The Catnip Times
For cat people its no question: the whiskers, the fuzzy faces, the meows, and the head nudges let us know our cats are definitely beneficial to our mental health. The rest of the world, however, has some catching up to do. Those who dont have cats are missing out on the cats appeal. The reality is that behind all of the warm cuddles and purring is an animal that improves mental health by decreasing stress, offering companionship, purring the pain away, and serving as a therapy animal.
Cats are Fuzzy Stress RelieversAdopting a cat is basically like adopting a walking, meowing, sassy, stress reliever. Cats are shown to relieve stress in a number of different ways by simply being themselves. When youve had a hard day, coming come and spending some time petting a fuzzy feline can cause your body to produce stress reducing hormones. When you do so, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease and your anxiety levels normalize.
Many people benefit from a relationship with a pet. Both cats and dogs along with a slew of other stress reducing activities, have helped college students during finals week because they offer powerful stress relieving properties. Hospitals and nursing homes are other common places where cats are helpful to patients in stressful settings. Sitting with your cat and petting them can have a lasting, positive effect on overall health.
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What To Avoid When Managing Cat Separation Anxiety
If you are researching separation anxiety relief methods in cats, you have probably come across different advice. However, not all of them are efficient. In fact, some can make things worse. Here is what you must not do:
- Get another cat there is a popular misconception that getting an additional cat will make the old one feel less lonely and anxious. The truth is getting a new cat is too stressful and can aggravate the stress pressure on the already nervous cat.
- Punish the cat punishment is never the answer as yelling and hitting cannot solve emotional disorders. They can only aggravate things and make the treatment longer.
- Practice confinement in an attempt to limit the damage, some owners may feel the need to confine their cats. Incarceration makes the anxiety worse and does not help in the long run.
What If I Cant Have A Pet
If you cant afford a pet, live somewhere youre not allowed one, or youre worried about having times where youre too unwell to care for a pet, there are other options.
The simplest option may be spending time with friends pets, whether thats walking their dogs, stroking their cats or cuddling their guinea pigs. They might be glad to have someone to pet sit for them while theyre on holiday.
If youre missing having a dog in your life, you could sign up with Borrow My Doggy. They connect dog owners to local people who would love to walk or play with a dog. The Cinnamon Trust also needs volunteer dog walkers to help out older people or those with a health condition or disability that means they cant walk their dog as easily anymore. They also need people to foster pets while their owners are in hospital.
Contact a rescue centre near you to see what volunteering opportunities they may have. They may need volunteers to exercise, care for and socialise their pets. You could consider fostering an animal if youre able to have a pet on a short-term basis but cant commit to one long-term. Some shy or scared animals need the peace and quiet of a home while waiting to be adopted.
Cats Protection and Dogs Trust both need people to provide temporary foster care for pets belonging to people fleeing domestic violence, who may not be able to take their pets into a refuge with them.
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Best Drops: Richard’s Organics Pet Calm
Delivery Method: Liquid drops | Key Ingredients: Valerian, chamomile, passionflower, skullcap extract
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Can be difficult to give to your cat
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Wears off in a few hours
Richards Organics Pet Calm combines four relaxation-inducing herbsvalerian, chamomile, passionflower, and skullcap extractthat may help alleviate stress, anxiety, excitability, and improve your cats sleep. Because its a liquid drop, administration can be a challenge, especially since there are no added flavors to entice your cat to consume it. We recommend dropping it onto your cats paw and letting him or her lick it off.
Kennedy And Carolina Head To College
Facing anxiety as a teenager can feel overwhelming, and after graduating high school, moving out of the family home, and starting life over as a college student, it’s a lot to handle. Kennedy, an incoming freshman at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, knew that she needed a strong support system before beginning her college career. She’s no longer living at home, but she isn’t in the dorms surrounded by other freshman experiencing the same changes and feelings. Kennedy is living in an off-campus apartment, and while her neighbors are all also college students, she’ll have to put in extra effort to meet new friends however, when you suffer from anxiety, that isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
Kennedy says, “I have always had anxiety, but it has increased exponentially these past two years. Before I got my kitten, I would color, watch TV, or go on a run” as coping mechanisms when she was anxious.
While many teens long for their independence, anxious teens may feel both excitement and trepidation. Kennedy says, “I thought about getting a therapy cat about a year ago but never really pushed for one until the end of senior year when I realized I had a big transition ahead … college.”
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Remedies To Reduce Anxiety In Your Cat
Home remedies are not an alternative to professional medical advice. If your pet has a serious issue, please consult your vet immediately.
All cats will suffer from some form of stress and anxiety at some point in their lives. Whether its short-lived because the stressful event is going to the vets or traveling or its something that is a daily part of their lives, its always difficult for us to see our cats suffer.
If you are trying to make an event less stressful for your cat or want to make your cats daily life a little easier but dont know how, we go over your options. We have eight methods and products that you can try with your cat that are proven to be safe and effective.
We hope that you can find something that helps make your cat a little calmer in the face of anxiety-driven events, without relying on medication.
Cat Calming Products To Help Ease Cat Anxiety
Reviewed for accuracy on August 29, 2018 by Katie Grzyb, DVM
Humans are not the only ones that deal with anxiety issues cats can suffer from anxiety, too. As a pet owner, keeping your cats anxiety under control is important for establishing and maintaining a positive pet and human relationship.
There are many reasons a cat may experience anxiety, but there are also many calming products that pet owners can try to help manage their cats anxiety.
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Help Build Health Habits
The act of caregiving helps us build healthy habits. Cats need to be fed and taken care of on a regular schedule. Thus, help cat owners create a routine to take care of them no matter their mood. They give people a reason to get up and take care of them and, in extension, take care of themselves. Caring for your pets can serve as a reminder to care for yourself too.
Environmental Anxiety In Cats
If your cats anxiety is being triggered by something in their immediate environment , one of the first things you should do is try to remove or lessen the effects of the stressor.
For example, cats are naturally quite territorial creatures and territorial anxiety may develop if they feel an intruder has invaded their space and is threatening or competing with them for resources. In this instance, you can take steps to ensure they have their own territory where they can feel safe.
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Cats Purr Which Relieves Stress Anxiety And More
A cats purr creates a vibrational frequency of 20-140Hz. It is therapeutic. Experiencing a cats purr relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, heals aching bones and muscles, and even reduces infection and swelling.
It is similar to the vibration of equipment used in muscle therapy.
After having a tedious day at work or after getting stressed by watching the news, just stroke your cat until it purrs andy you will feel the calming effect it brings.
What Causes Cat Anxiety And What Are The Signs
Some triggers of anxiety in cats include changes in environment, traumatic events, and getting into a fight with another animal. Sometimes, you may be able to figure out what triggered your cats anxiety. Other times, it may be hard to determine.
You may notice any of the following common signs of distress:
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Meowing more than usual
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Changes to body posture or language
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Losing hair or grooming more than usual
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Hissing, growling, or other signs of aggressive behavior
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Cats Are A Good Distraction
When you have anxiety, your brain can be racing and thinking about too many things. Cats often purr and meow a lot, and most of them are funny and do things that can automatically make you laugh.
Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed with the things on your mind, go ahead and grab your cats toy and start playing with them. This can be a good distraction and can help you take your mind off of all those thoughts.
If you have anxiety or you simply just want a cat to play and cuddle with, then please consider adopting a cat. There are lots of stray cats in the world that need a home and a family, and you can help by picking one from your local shelter.
Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
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Dog And Cat Breeds That Can Help Combat Depression According To New Study
Including labradors and siamese cats…
We know pets are great for companionship and for helping to lighten our moods, but now a new study has uncovered the specific dog and cat breeds that can help to combat depression.
Research conducted by Tombola analysed the characteristics of different breeds, looking specifically at which ones would be beneficial for the mental health of humans. While all dogs and cats are great at making their owners feel happy, there are some breeds that love cuddles and affection more than others.
The team at Tombola said: “Pets can help us cope with tough times, and dogs, more than any other animal, have become attuned to humans. They’re able to pick up on our emotions, moods and behaviours, and while dog and cat owners alike can attest to the joys of snuggling up to or playing with their cuddly companions, science can now prove these benefits too.”
Take a look at what their results found below…
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Cats Are Great For Therapy And Good For Anxiety
We know that dogs can be trained and certified as emotional support animals that help assist a person psychologically and in emergency situations.
If you are emotionally disabled, certified by medical professionals, you are qualified to register your dog as an emotional support animal.
But did you know that cats are qualified to be emotional support animals, too?
They help in different ways. While they cant bark and ask for help, they have the ability to calm you down and lower your stress levels.
Cats are used in some hospitals and rehab centers for routine therapy.
People who suffer from dementia, have experienced sexual assault, or even those that suffer from seizures use both cats and dogs in Animal-assisted therapy .
My experience: I used to have panic attacks every day, big ones. Ever since we adopted our cat, I no longer have panic attacks on a daily basis. I still have them occasionally, like once every two months.
The photo above is my adopted cat.
I used to take Clonazepam on a daily basis to control my panic attacks and because of my furry friend, I no longer have to take them.
Heres a story about Kennedy from Hillspet.com, who adopted a cat when she became a first-year student in college. She has always struggled with anxiety and knew that going away to college would exacerbate it.
Kennedy says: I have always had anxiety, but it has increased exponentially these past two years. Before I got my kitten, I would color, watch TV, or go on a run.