Research suggests owning a pet could make you healthier

[crazyfingers]

It looks like Medical science is starting to take a serious look at what pet owners have long suspected.

A growing body of medical research suggests that people who own or interact regularly with animals may be healthier than people who don't.

One study found that cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack than non-cat owners. Others point to how pet interaction may help protect against allergies, asthma, and even some kinds of cancer.

...

The NIH just formed a public/private partnership with MARS, the world's largest maker of pet food, to fund and encourage research on the timeless bond.

"Pets are so ubiquitous they get overlooked, so we don't even think of researching them," said scientist James Griffin, deputy branch chief at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Until now. Griffin, who is leading the agency's pet initiative, said there are many small studies and much anecdotal evidence of improved health among cancer patients, autistic children, and others after interacting with animals. But healthcare specialists, he said, need large-scale, controlled studies to determine whether the role animals play in human health is pivotal and, if so, how that healing power may best be tapped. He is working to make that happen.

We got our cats from the shelter about month ago and I am feeling better already. :D

Oops. Here's the link

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/04/20/animal_attraction/

[Vill]

My wife got 2 cats while i was away working at sea before xmas - I've been home again and living around them for about 3 months now - it used to be that if I were to visit someone who had a cat/s, I would react very badly after an hour or so, the rash, running eyes, blocked nose, slight wheeze etc... the allergies seemed to be getting more severe as I got older. Now, after living with these 2 cats for a while, that's all stopped, except for a little sneezing in the morning or evening, which I take the occasional antihistamine for... Since I got home in January, I've made a point of interacting with them as much as possible, and for me it's worked a treat... :D

I do remember reading somewhere a long time ago however, that some study was done that indicated petting a cat seemed to help reduce blood pressure (was a looong time ago though so I may be wrong...)

[BioBeing]

They haven't seen my dog. Anyone want a bad dog?

[PostMortem]

We got our cats from the shelter about month ago and I am feeling better already. :D

Pictures?http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/shakecat.gif

[Daynna]

I have two cats and a dog. I have also found that looking at the ittybittykitty committee blog at work reduces stress. :D

[crazyfingers]

Pictures?http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/shakecat.gif

Doesn't this lower the blood pressure? :)

http://home.comcast.net/~mjdude/pwpimages/IMG_0640a.jpg

[Redshirt]

Unfortunately, I'm allergic to cats so I won't feel healthy around them for long. :( Despite that, cats seem to like me. They will often choose me out of a bunch of people sitting to jump on my lap and lie down.

[PostMortem]

Pictures?http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/shakecat.gif

Doesn't this lower the blood pressure? :)

http://home.comcast.net/~mjdude/pwpimages/IMG_0640a.jpg

Yes, yes it does! Thank you!

[Redshirt]

tcxhOGyrCtI&NR=1

[Mung Dynasty]

I have found that there are times when cats raise my blood pressure. This often occurs when the bloody things stick their claws into my leg without realising it. Other than that they're great.

[DMB]

My ex-mother-in-law was a potter. She lived in a large house with quite a lot of cats and she took in parties of pottery students. So in the morning she would get up and have to feed a whole lot of cats and students (in order of priority) and she always said how unnerving it was to face all those hungry eyes.

[Mung Dynasty]

Well given that cats are carnivorous..........

[RBH]

I've got two big dogs and I'm sure they're helping make me healthier, if for no other reason than I get walked a lot more than I would otherwise. :)

[hecaterin]

Unfortunately, I'm allergic to cats so I won't feel healthy around them for long. :( Despite that, cats seem to like me. They will often choose me out of a bunch of people sitting to jump on my lap and lie down.Clue: do not look aside and try to ignore them hoping they'll go away. Cats think this is you showing proper feline politeness, and will approach. Stare at them instead. Look them firmly in the eye.

Also, I have a friend who says she is allergic to all cats except her own. She claims that raising them from kittens gets her acclimated. Dunno if there is any sense to that. It sounds dubious to me.

[crazyfingers]

Unfortunately, I'm allergic to cats so I won't feel healthy around them for long. :( Despite that, cats seem to like me. They will often choose me out of a bunch of people sitting to jump on my lap and lie down.Clue: do not look aside and try to ignore them hoping they'll go away. Cats think this is you showing proper feline politeness, and will approach. Stare at them instead. Look them firmly in the eye.

Also, I have a friend who says she is allergic to all cats except her own. She claims that raising them from kittens gets her acclimated. Dunno if there is any sense to that. It sounds dubious to me.


Ya there is a guy in the comments section of the link in the OP who says that he has always been allergic. He goes to sea form months at a time. Once while he was away his wife got cats. He came home and syas that after a few weeks of exposure to the cats the allergy faded away.

Don't know how true that really is. I recall that when I was diagnised as allergic to dust mites, I was told that the cure was to get a long series of shots to get my body used to it.