I've read and heard that pets are good stress-relievers, is this so with cats? I can't have a dog because I'm allergic to them and wonder if a cat might be good to have.
2006-08-22 21:01:41 · 41 answers · asked by Say It Like You Mean It 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
Hi, so 2 questions here, and possibly most of the people who answer you dont have stress problems.
When my cardiologist turned green, sat me down, and told me not to move, and called the nurse for medication, i knew something was wrong. I have high blood pressure, and a high pulse, all stress enduced. My stress is so high, i have stress enduced memory loss.
Now working from that my cardio guy told me not to go back to work, and to get some cats, he said they were calming, he was right.
I have 3 cats, indoor ones, no getting run over....
They are a joy, there individual characters make my day
When i have a bad stressy day, and i lay in bed crying, they all come to me, and usually 2 cuddle up under the covers, and the fattest one sits on my head.
They have been trouble, they have kept me awake, but the good outweighs the bad.
The thought of loosing them, is too much to bear.
If your going to get a cat for stress, get one from a rescue, thats over 2 years old.. 10 would be fine, the older they are.. the calmer, make sure you buy proper flea stuff from a vet, make sure you worm them, and enjoy your new friend
A better way to deal with stress, is valerian root, holland and barret 450mg. Also, this root acts like kitty cat cannabis...
2006-08-22 21:16:26 · answer #1 · answered by yeah well 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oh yes. I can tell you, getting home from work in my lunch break, gobbling up something quick, and just lying in my bed with the cat purring somewhere beside me (curled up under my arm, say) will double my productivity in the afternoon - and will help me take things a lot more calmly...
Having a cat is very nice, because a cat takes a very little amount of your time - I have had a dog, and I know (I love dogs too; just my schedule is waaay too overloaded to be able to have one right now). A cat is independent and will not wreck your house if left all alone for a full day. S/he still needs you to play with him/her, pet and groom him/her, and pay attention to diet, etc. - but at least for me, it's a pleasure (it also helps me to get rid of stress, because while I am playing with the cat I cannot think of sad or distressing things - he is just sooo cute :)
I hope you meet a cat that will be a good friend to you. Good luck, whatever your decision on taking a cat.
Oh, if you do take a cat, have him/her fixed (neutered / spayed). I was not very sure about it, but when I decided to give a home to my cat, I did extensive research on cat health and the results were overwhelmingly FOR fixing. Just to let you know :)
2006-08-22 21:19:30 · answer #2 · answered by AlphaOne_ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I should have thought if you are allergic to dogs you would be just as allergic to cats, but yes, both are good for relieving stress by stroking them. This has been shown to help bring down high blood pressure. However there is often a downside to most things, and lovely as they are, pets bring problems as well as happiness. So your new cat could just as easily add to your stress in many ways, as help to relieve it.
If your only reason for wanting a pet is for stress relief, then there are other ways to achieve this, and much cheaper, such as buying a good relaxation tape/CD. I recommend Glenn Harrold "Complete Relaxation" - I have loads of this man's tapes - he is very effective.
2006-08-22 22:28:07 · answer #3 · answered by Specsy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, cats are very good for relieving stress. They also make wonderful companions. I've found that the purring cats make is the most soothing sound to drift off to, which is why I don't mind if my cat curls up in my lap or sleeps on the foot of the bed.
Actually, as we speak one of my cats is curled up by my feet! :)
However, if you are allergic to dogs, you may be susceptible to allergies connected to cats as well.
The culprit is often the dander that is shed and left in the air to tickle your allergies into going nuts.
I have allergies, and I still have a dog and several cats. Fortunately, after exposure to a cat or kitten, or a pup, I build up some resistance and the problem lessens until I am exposed to a different animal.
For me, it's worth the extra effort to have my pets. It all depends on how severe your own allergies are, you may want to opt for a pet that is slick coated/short hair as that causes a lot less of a reaction in most allergy sufferers .
2006-08-22 23:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by delilindrien 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
cats are very goog at relieving stress as long as you get one that is not very hyper. when you sit and hold a cat and pet it the purring sound is so relaxing, i some times fall asleep. my stress reliever is a mix of many breeds. if it were a dog they would call it a mutt. it doesn't matter which gender you get. just be sure to spay or nueter it and have an inplant put in too. that way if it ever got lost they could find the owner. good luck grams
2006-08-22 21:39:15 · answer #5 · answered by grams 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's amusing to me that everyone talks about choosing whether to have a cat, but our household got chosen by a cat! I was watching Formula 1 on TV some years back when a cat walked into our sitting room – a long-haired, grey Tabby – miaowed loudly, then curled up against me. He's not left since. Until that time I'd never had much to do with cats. But yes, I now think they're great. Very subtle creatures. But you've got to love them and be able to make room for them in your life or it's never going to work!
2006-08-22 21:24:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I find that when I'm having a stressful day, just spending a few moments relaxing and petting my cat can be a good stress reliever. Sometimes when times are getting rough, it's a stress reliever just to know that something out there loves you completely and unconditionally no matter what.
2006-08-22 21:04:34 · answer #7 · answered by LOVEISNOCOLOR 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My two do a nice job of relieving my stress level, but chances are if your allergic to dogs your going to be allergic to cats to.
2006-08-23 00:01:26 · answer #8 · answered by Classy Granny 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A definite yes! Whenever something bad happens to me, I go find the cat that lives around my house. I simply hold him and pet him. Of course, you probably want an older cat, and make sure that it's calm and relaxed. If you get a kitten who's not fixed, you might just add to your stress.
2006-08-22 23:43:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anna 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They sure are
I had a cat for 13 years and when I felt low she used to lick my tears .. she was such a darling I lost her about 3 years ago
Now I have a cat who has a 7 weeks kitten and both are so fun to look at .. to me it works when I come back from a long and hectic working day .. they greet me at the door and then come and just go where ever I am the little kitten jumps up and down my feet .. simply a nice feeling to have them around
get one and do not hesitate .. but as advised before check if you are alergic to cats hope you're not!!
2006-08-22 21:29:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋