5 Reasons Why Cats Make Amazing Pets

1. They are excellent companions.

Cats are often thought to be distant and aloof, but they are actually quite social and thrive in a family environment.  Cats love to sit on laps, cuddle, play and greet you at the door when you come home. They will wait patiently for you to want to spend time with them, and be very affectionate when you are available to them.   Cats seem to be able to sense when you are sad and need comfort and affection.  They don’t talk back or give you sass like some of your human companions.

  

2.  Cats contribute positively to your mental and physical health.

Cats have a calming effect and have been shown to lower the blood pressure of their owners.  Studies have shown that petting and interacting with a cat may have similar effects on the brain to meditation and yoga. They also serve as social support for their owners during difficult times.  Cats have been shown to help their humans get over a significant loss faster than those people without a pet cat. Cats also boost children’s immunity to allergens and reduce the incidence of asthma.  A National Institutes of Health study showed that Children that were exposed to high levels of pet allergens during infancy had a lower risk of developing asthma by 7 years of age.

3.  Cats are easy and efficient to keep

Cats are very low maintenance and flexible when it comes to their home environment.  They are just as happy to live in a mansion as to live in a small, one bedroom apartment. Most cats are easily litter-box trained, so you do not have to walk them in the rain and snow.  They prefer using a clean litter box, so you must work to keep their area clean and free of smelly waste buildup.  As long as they have human interaction, clean litter box access, healthy nutritious food, regular veterinary care and a soft place to sleep, they are happy and will often live well into their teens.

4.  Cats are economical and environmentally sound

Cats are inexpensive to keep. Other than food and cat litter on a weekly basis, the only other regular expenses will be, parasite treatments as recommended by your veterinarian, annual vaccinations against the diseases cats are susceptible to, and a veterinary health check every 6-12 months.  They also have a smaller carbon footprint than their canine counterparts; so if you want to save the earth, keep more cats.

5. Cats are entertaining

Cats are playful, funny, and curious and have a great deal of energy as proven by all those funny and interesting Internet cat videos that we can sit and watch all day. They are eager to get attention from their family members and can even be taught tricks and learn to fetch through clicker training and food rewards.    They are very acrobatic too and will run, leap, pounce and even fetch for a treat or favorite toy.  The entertainment value that comes from watching a cat play is beyond belief and cheaper than Netflix. 

So if you are in need of a pet and you have been debating which type to adopt, consider a cat.  There are millions of perfectly adoptable cats and kittens in need of homes each year and we always have a few to offer here at Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital.  Our cats and kittens always make wonderful companions.