Do Cats Help With Depression?

Cats are among the most prevalent emotional support animals because they are affectionate, caring, and loyal. Cats are known to help people who are lonely, anxious, and depressed. But most cat owners like them for their independent nature.
According to the survey, about 82 percent of cat owners have become mentally stable because of the cat’s companionship. Now the question is: Do cats help with Depression? How do they manage to do it? And which cat breeds help combat Depression?

Do Cats Help With Depression?

Do Cats Try to Cheer You Up?

Cats can sense their owner’s feelings and moods which helps them when their owners are unhappy or depressed. They interact with them more frequently, and when they are tense or depressed, they approach them with more care and love.

• Some of the ways cats adopt to make you happy are by gazing at you, sitting close to you, rubbing up against you, and cuddling (which can calm you down and help lower your blood pressure).

How Do Cats Help with Depression?

Cats provide their owners with love, comfort, and companionship. Through this, the chances of feeling depressed, lonely and anxious reduces. There are certain factors through which cats help you cope with Depression. Cats help you to maintain:

• A regular schedule
  Your cat may offer you a feeling of purpose and routine knowing that you need to feed, walk, or take care of your cat, which helps you maintain a regular schedule.
• A sense of calm
  Cats make you feel relaxed and less lonely and can help you with severe Depression by providing the love and care you might need in difficult times.
• Physical activity
  Pet owners typically exercise more than non-pet owners. Depression often keeps you indoors, but with the help of a cat, you’re more likely to go on walks or exercise, which helps in increasing your physical activity.
• Social Time
  According to studies, cats build connections, increase social interaction, and expand your support system.

With the help of social interaction, the symptoms of Depression get reduced. It is said “Strangers come together” over pets and young children. You could feel inclined to talk to strangers when you go out with your cat. Hence cats help you open your world even though Depression might make you want to ignore other people.

Which Cat Breeds Help Combat Depression?

Cats provide us with love, companionship, and help in mood-lifting. We have identified certain cat breeds that can aid people with Depression. These breeds are:

• Sphynx
  These cats are highly affectionate and enjoy sitting close to you because they typically have a lower body temperature. This breed is one to think about adopting if you want a cat and endless cuddles.
• Ragdoll
  These affectionate fluffy cats are famous for falling limp when picked up, which indicates that they enjoy cuddling. They are the ideal cats for constant cuddling because of their friendly personality and soft and silky fur.
• Siamese
  Due to their vibrant blue eyes and wedge-shaped heads, you can easily recognize these cats. These felines are observant, affectionate, and well-recognized for forming close ties with their owners.
• Maine Coon
  These cats often serve as therapy cats because they form strong bonds with their owners. Maine Coons are friendly, tactile pets that adore human contact and have the reputation of being gentle giants.
• Russian Blue
  Russian Blue cats are devoted and patient and follow their owners around the house. They like to welcome you when you return home. They are known for their calm, composed, and loving nature.

How Do Cats Help With Mental Illness?

Depression, loneliness, and anxiety are all conditions that a large number of people experience at some point in their life and can all be helped by cats. Cats can also prevent you from emotional and psychological illness.
Cats are independent, so owners don’t necessarily need to provide the same care and attention that other pets require. The calming nature of cats can assist in relieving stress, panic attacks, and Depression, wildly when your heart is beating fast, and you’re feeling anxious.

Cats can divert your attention and entertain you, a common strategy to promote good mental health and well-being by assisting people in focusing their minds on other things. One of the well-known benefits of cats for mental illness is watching their clown antics and sheer passion for life, which may impact mental well-being. A cat will be there for you when you feel entirely alone.

Thus, cats are excellent emotional support animals because of their ability to provide emotional support to their owners dealing with Depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness.

Can Cats Be Best Emotional Support Animals?

Yes, cats are relaxing and provide emotional assistance to their owners dealing with disabilities like Depression, anxiety, phobia, or any other mental illness. Cats are in great demand because they can sense human emotions.
They prefer to be close to heat-radiating sources like the human body because they enjoy soft and warm areas. They can easily win your hearts because of their caring and cuddling nature. That’s what makes them the best emotional support animals to rely on.

Conclusion

I hope this guide helped you a lot in getting a clear idea about what cats offer to their owners. From companionship to support for low mood, anxiety, and Depression – a furry feline provides unconditional love and affection.