Cat therapy, the beneficial effects of living with a cat

Did you think you had seen it all in therapy? Well, here comes an increasingly popular one: the cat therapy, a tool used to intervene in the well-being of people counting on the help of cats.

Cat therapy, an anti-stress treatment with your feline

Cat therapy is a traditional treatment against the symptoms of stress, the anxiety and low mood with the help of domestic cats. Utilizing this type of companion-based therapy provided by these small domestic felines can help improve physical and mental health and quality of life in general, through the friendly interaction between the cat and the person.

The positive thing about cat therapy is precisely its simplicity: it is based on the company that the cat and the person offer each other and the way in which they interact.

Cats and humans: a bit of history

Already in ancient times, the human being has found in certain animal species a good dose of companionship and affection. In addition to the domestication of animals in order to preserve food sustenance (meat, milk), the coat (hides, wool) and displacement (horses), some species have maintained a more intimate relationship with the man. In this sense, two of the animals that have traditionally played this role are the

dog and the cat, although it should be noted that in the case of the dog, its work also used to be linked to hunting, herding and home security.

The cat (Felis silvestris catus) is a small predatory mammal. The origins of the species, or at least its first scientific reports, are located in the southern egypt in 3000 BC. In those distant times, cats were already highly regarded, to the point that humans gave them a category of divinity. From Egypt he spread to many other regions, through trade, he was a faithful companion of witches, magicians and healers. Later, he was taken in as a domestic hunter for small rodent animals, which could spread disease. In this sense, the cat was health insurance for the man. In addition, his role as a friend and domestic companion gradually grew.

Many people say that the company of the cat brings them multiple benefits. Currently, there are more than forty different species of felines, each with its own characteristics: fur of all colors and shapes (and even without fur), with long tail, short tail, without tail, with very different cranial structures, etc.

The cat: discovering its personality and its 'anti-stress properties'

The cat is a very autonomous animal, as is the case with other felines. Their bond with the owners of the house is based on a kind of pact of mutual respect. The company of a cat, unlike most psychotropic drugs, contributes to achieving good levels of relaxation without the secondary effect of losing contact with reality or certain levels of consciousness. Petting a cat can reduce stress as well as lower blood pressure and heart rate.

For his part, purr characteristic of the cat (sound that the feline emits when it is comfortable and safe) has a positive in the mood of people, fostering good humor and providing confidence and safety. The signs of affection that the cat provides us also have a positive effect on our psyche, helping convalescent patients to cope with their situation thanks to its simple presence.

Feline company, always welcome

Many specialists recommend to people who live alone the company of a cat. In addition to the positive aspects in mental health offered by the fundamental little felines in cat therapy, cats do not require great care, compared to, for example, cats dogs. Living with a cat also helps us understand ourselves better and accept ourselves as we are: cats do not judge us, they do not differentiate between handsome and ugly or rich and poor; they only receive affection and return it in their own way, in a completely natural way and without artifice.

Families who live close to a cat also achieve some psychological benefits, since they promote and reinforce communication between parents and children and between siblings. This is one of the positive aspects of cat therapy. In addition, family living with animals teaches children to take responsibility for certain tasks, to respect and loving other species, and this results in the reinforcement of calm, relaxed and relaxed attitudes of the stress.

Mental health, cat therapy and some facts

The benefits of cat therapy in people with some type of physical or mental disability or with some kind of emotional or mental disorder, have been studied. For example, among disorders associated with dementia (Alzheimer's), autism, Down syndrome, ADHD and behavioral disorders in children and in mood disorders, the benefits seem clear.

In the United States, several studies revealed that patients with heart disease reported better and faster progression if they lived with a feline, thus increasing the survival rate one year after having suffered an acute episode such as a heart attack (Friedmann and Thomas, 1995).

People who live with cats at home have a lower chance of dying from a heart attack. This was the conclusion reached by several researchers led by A. Baun of the Nursing Research. In the case of living with dogs, the same protective effect was not reported, possibly due to daily care that dogs require: dog owners were at odds close to the half.

Several national associations and foundations dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with severe mental disorders employ cats as part of therapy. In autistic children, for example, cats have different positive effects. Obviously the cat cannot cure a severe psychopathology, but it has been observed that the contact of the sick with the felines provides them with good doses of happiness, smiles back, especially to those who suffer from a rather lonely life.

The case of the elderly living in geriatric residences it is also especially positive when it comes to the benefits of living with cats. Different studies indicate that daily contact with an adorable cat, who can be challenged, caressed and caring, can help the elderly to verbalize her emotions and feelings, as well as the memories of her childhood. Stimulate your memory and express anecdotes and stories from your past life it is something really important in patients with senile dementia or Alzheimer's, because this mental gymnastics it is a basic factor when it comes to delaying the degeneration of neuronal quality, the culprit of progressive memory loss. The tactile sense, being able to caress the cat and notice its purr when it is happy stimulates some nerve endings that evoke memories.

Cats are not toys

You can adopt a cat by going to the animal shelter closest. Even if you consider it appropriate (although you should avoid it), you can buy a puppy in a store specialized in domestic animals.

But we must not stop being aware that a cat is a living being, that it has needs and can suffer. This implies that we must take responsibility for these animals and take care of their health and well-being. The cat must be properly dewormed and vaccinated, in addition to the fact that in most countries it must carry an identification microchip. Therefore, in cat therapy the feline is not a simple tool, but is an active agent that participates in treatment sessions and has the ability to decide what you want and what you don't want make.

If this last paragraph is clear, we can only invite you to enjoy the pleasant company of one of the friendliest, most mysterious and beneficial animals for your health that there may be. Cat therapy has a lot to offer you.

Bibliographic references:

• Baun, A. M., Bergstrom, N., Langston, N. F., & Thomas, L. (1984). Physiological effects of human / companion animal bonding. Nursing Research, 33(3), 126-129. Friedmann, E., Katcher, A. H.

• Friedmann, E., & Thomas, S. TO. (1995). Pet ownership, social support, and oneyear survival after acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). American Journal of Cardiology, 76, 1213-1217.