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Molecular Musings

Cuddle One Cat

Published February 26, 2008 11:26 AM by Joyce Ward

As an owner of a very calming cat, I was interested in the news story on the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in New Orleans that suggests that owning a cat is good for your heart.

According to various media outlets, researchers at the Minnesota Stroke Institute at the University of Minnesota presented the results of a study of about 4,500 Americans, ages 30 to 75, who took part in a federal study of health and nutrition. According to reports, about half of the participants either currently owned cats or had owned cats in the past, while the others had never owned cats.

According to the various reports, the researchers looked at the causes of death in the participants (figures from different sources vary between 10 and 20 years as the follow-up time). The results from the study showed that those who did not own cats had a 40 percent greater chance of dying of a heart attack over that time and a 30 percent chance of dying of any cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure and chronic heart disease. According to these reports, this held true even after factoring in other risk factors such as age, gender, race, blood pressure and smoking.

Some of the readers of the articles wrote in saying that it might be a difference in the emotional makeup of cat owners rather than the cats themselves that made a difference. 

I wondered if the results might even be better if they had asked the owners about the characteristics of their cats. Some cats are rather standoffish, while others are purring machines designed to warm even the hardest hearts.

I have one of the heart warmers. He will sit and wait for me to invite him onto my lap and settle down for a purring session. I know it surely helps sooth me when I am tired, anxious or feeling down. Many studies seem to show that pets do help those who are hospitalized or in long-term living facilities. In fact, many of these places are using pet therapy as part of their care.

If pets do prove to have medical benefit, future physicians might someday advise us to "cuddle one cat and call me in the morning."

posted by Joyce Ward
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2 comments
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You are right, it is important to remember to wash you hands after handling any animal, especially birds and reptiles. It is also important to make sure animals are healthy and free of disease by taking them to the vet when necessary. Dogs, cats and other companion animals bring many benifits to people but can sometimes bring disease, so washing hands and careful handling is important. As for my cat,  our method of conveying love is bopping foreheads, not kissing.

Joyce Ward March 3, 2008 8:47 AM

Joyce,

Although I would prefer dogs to cats, I appreciated your piece on cats nonetheless.

However, I must interject a word of caution. This week, I had a patient who told me she adopts all kinds of critters. She absolutely loves them...So much that she kisses them too.

Let us be reminded that as much as we may like these animals, that they are still animals. My patient ended up getting a bad case of worms because of her kissing habit!

So think twice before you kiss a pet. And just like at the hospital...always WASH YOUR HANDS!
Everett Lang, , CNMT Door County Memorial Hospital February 29, 2008 8:54 AM
Sturgeon Bay WI

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