Pet-i-Cure: 10 Benefits of Owning a Pet

[Kat]

"A dog is the only thing on earth that will love you more than you love yourself."                                                                             - Josh Billings


The benefits of furry friends: cats and dogs!

Research shows that, unless you're someone who really dislikes animals or is absolutely too busy to care for one accordingly, pets can provide excellent social support, stress relief and other health benefits — perhaps more than people! Here are more benefits of owning a pet:

1. Pets Can Add Structure to Your Life -
All of us need some amount of structure in our lives. Pets are entirely dependant on their owners for exercise, food, and health care. So having a pet will undoubtedly instill structure into the owner's life and will set a steady rhythm to each day.

2. Pets Are Date Magnets -
Dogs are great for making love connections. Forget Internet matchmaking — a dog is a natural conversation starter.
This especially helps ease individuals out of social isolation or shyness. People ask about breed, they watch the dog's tricks. Sometimes the conversation stays at the "dog level," sometimes it becomes a real social interchange.

3. Pets Can Improve Your Mood -
For those who love animals, it's basically impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand.
Studies support the mood-enhancing benefits of pets.

4. Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise -
Playing with pets is in the top ten physical activity choices for children and families; owning a dog may encourage children to exercise and help reduce childhood obesity. Also an American study showed that those patients who owned a pet had a much better chance of surviving for more than a year after a heart attack — a difference that could not be explained by the extra exercise the dog owners enjoyed.

5. Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs -
Yes, it's true. While ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren't as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension.

6. Pets Can Improve Family Bonds -
Anyone who owns a pet knows that a pet quickly becomes a member of the family. As such, the family addition under the dinner table has tremendous benefits for you and the whole family.
Pets are great stress-busters in domestic situations.

7. Pets Are Allergy Fighters -
It was once thought that kids who were raised up in a home with dogs and cats were likely to develop pet allergies and asthma. However, a growing number of researches have suggested that kids growing up in a home with "furred animals" — whether it's a pet cat or dog, or on a farm and exposed to large animals — will have less risk of allergies and asthma.

8. Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love -
Pets can be there for you in ways that people can't. They can offer love and friendship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences, keep secrets and are distinguished snugglers. And they could be the best antidote to loneliness.

9. Pets Can Reduce Stress — Sometimes More Than People -
While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good buddy who's also a good listener, researchers found that spending time with a pet may be even better! Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that's stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present! This may be partly due to the fact that pets don't judge us; they just love us.

10. Pets for the Aged -
Researches have shown that individuals with Alzheimer have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home. Their caregivers also feel less burdened when there is a pet, especially if it is a cat, which normally requires less care than a dog.

Whether you own a pet for therapeutic reasons or purely because you don't know how to talk to people, the perks of owning one are abundant.

http://ririanproject.com/2007/11/28/pet-i-cure-10-benefits-of-owning-a-pet/

[LittleBear]

Thanks Kat,

All those things are so true. Pets are tremendous blessings in our lives.

Ursula

[Samson]

Thanks Kat,

                 Thats' some great information, I certainly wasn't aware of the Allergy point. My Cats are certainly not helping me with exercise, they are lazy Fur Balls. They are soft as butter and cuddly, they definitely give unconditional Love and help the mood in this household. They are definitely important members of our family, Pollyanna seems to get jealous when I spend time at this Web-Site, crawling all over me, craving attention, she likes to be held and she never scratches anyone, Loves her belly rubbed.


                                  Great Post, Your brother, Samson.

[Kat]

Hi Samson,

I think cats are great.  Hearing you talk about your cats, reminds me of Ray.  He has 4 cats.  During the Bible studies I see them run around the house.  He really loves those cats, and he has one he says will come to get his attention while he's on the computer too. 
How good is God to give us these pets to help us learn so many lessons about being a better person 

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[carol v]

Oh you poor, poor, poor deceived and wrong-thinking people...don't you know that dogs rule and cats drool. I will pray for your enlightenment

Long live Pugs!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Kat

That was true, informative and just shows how God knew how to soften some of the rough edges. 

Sometimes I think that when Jesus comes again, my pets too will be resurrected only that time, they will be able to talk to me! Can you imagine your cat saying Hey, purr purr, thank you for being so kind to me and so sweet to get me my favourate food. Oh how I love you!....Thank you for caring!

We too are  so blessed to have both cats and dogs to love appreciate and enjoy.

Peace to you

Arcturus

[Patrick]

My 9 yr old Calico whooped a coyote; she was 5 at the time. The coyote walked under the tree Kali was in and she jumped on its back. That coyote yelped, pooped, and took off up the mountain.
It was definitely one of those wish I had a video recorder moments. She can sense them outside and jumps up on the window ledge and hisses and does that crazy squeal that cats do. She is a long hair (with a tiger cut), so her tail is about 4" in diameter.
She does not snuggle, not real fond of sitting in your lap. If she does come sit in your lap, you better be on guard, because she will just take off and the claws dig into your flesh (thru Levi's). I buy 3 scratching posts/year.
Every now and again, I will wake up and she is sleeping beside me. Normally she sleeps at the foot of the bed.
She can be real real mean at times. But she loves me when it's time for food.
She does not kill little critters, she brings them in the house for me to catch and put back outside.
She can hear a can of tuna or a treat bag being opened from 100' and always comes running with her tail high in the air.
She loves being scratched behind the ears and under her jaw, and out of the blue something changes and she has her back feet kicking and she is biting (not hard, unless you hold her down, tickle her belly, and really anger her).
She has that "I'm BAD" strut all the time.
But rattle an ice bag, spray some air freshener, and she runs for her "secret" spot and stays there for about 15 minutes.
She tells me she loves me (I ask her), and I tell her everyday I love you.
She just rolls her eyes most times and goes back to doing whatever she wants!
My last cat was a Seal Point Siamese and lived 17yrs. I held her paw in my hand when the Vet gave her the injection to put her to sleep.
I enjoy dogs also, but the queen, Kali, does NOT enjoy them.

[Kat]

Hi Arcturus,

I've wondered at times if a pet could someday be resurrected or if they were just for that moment in time 

Hi Patrick,

I owned... rather enjoyed the of the company of many cats through my life.  They were all different to some degree.  What I like about cat is the low maintenance.  Give them a little food and they are good to go. 

The dogs we've had over the years were yard dogs.  Now it's different with these pomeranains I've become quite attached, because they are near by most of the time.  I think their innocence tends to make them endearing.  Pets do seem to bring out the tender side of people.

We can learn a lot about ourselves in dealing with our pets.  They are never malicious or vengeful.  I've been watching the 'Dog Whisperer' on TV and I'm seeing how he deals with problem dogs.  Animals only respond to to the situations we human create for them.  So any bad behavior on their part is because we (the thinking and reasoning human) are not providing the proper leadership.  As their ower with are the pack leader or should be.  It's an interesting show.

Nice to hear your pet stories 

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Deborah-Leigh]

Right Kat!

I sometimes say to my pets....Who made you?...and I knowing Who did, gives me comfort.. I just can not think that God will annihilate all our pets or that they will be considered as idols of our hearts to be destroyed. I find no crime in loving and appreciating Gods gifts to us and that He is the Creator. My pets certainly do not replace God in my life

Peace to you sister

Arcturus