Dogs and cats show extreme cuteness and sweetness with their body features and expressions. Whenever people who like pets such as dogs and cats see these animals, their immediate reaction is excessive attraction, it seems like they have fallen for these house buddies. People who do not own and are not knowledgeable enough think that these animals get wild and hyper when other people, things, or environments are unfamiliar to them which is true. On the contrary, these pets have qualities that are immensely useful and reliable whenever their owners need them or just want to be with them. For example, they can be trained in the ways that are known and suitable for them. Regardless of their appearance, behavior and inadequacy, they contribute to the life and happiness of people who love them and they should be equally treated.
Besides the adorable faces and lively attitude of dogs that makes people filled with joy, there are other benefits that we can get from them. Once you have a dog beside you, numerous activities can be done when the two of you are engaged with it. You can have a morning walk with your dog or wander on a park and start to prepare your buddy to have a quick play with a ball or just having a relaxed and refreshing moment together at home can be as good as the others. The way dogs help you to have an active lifestyle that supports your health and theirs is one of the best benefits you can get from them. When you realize that your pet needs exercise just like having a walk even on a short period can be really effective especially to you as well because you can be motivated and your fitness will improve and escalate. The effect of dogs in your life is so strong that you will not even hesitate when they need you and to be playful with them. Although they make you tired sometimes, despite the dog being the one who is most exhausted, there’s still happiness from it which is essential to tighten your bond. It is also a great experience to meet new people such as dog owners, another thing that dogs can do to your social life. If you are going to the veterinary clinic for checkup, walking around the park, going to pet stores to buy essentials, or plainly visiting new areas can be positively engaging due to the interest of your pet to interact with other pets. Every time you go out, there will be new people and pets to meet as always. This kind of meeting might also lead to a long and stronger relationship. The spark that these dogs do to you can make you feel calm which has a brilliant effect on your health. According to Harvard University, studies made results regarding owners who have lower blood pressure due to the increasing amount of exercise you do with your dog and merely petting your pooch. A tip: when you feel stressed and need time to relax, just give your dog your most tender loving care which will be beneficial to both of you. Dogs also make a great companion even if you are tired, frustrated, or worried, they will just be by your side to make you feel accompanied, comfortable and their presence alone will be the best thing you could ask for. Your dog can be your friend or everything. They are enthusiastic and sociable enough to be with you and would greet you when you come home. Dogs make a family, people who are not married, people who do not have kids make their lives brighter with pets like dogs which really shows how relationships can reach a long period even if it is not human to human. Training is important and in a dog’s life, it can be needed or not depending on the owner because it requires time, effort, and patience – all of which are useful in other facets of life. Dogs teach other skills to humans like showing a child how to feed them, bathe them, and these practices should be done daily which is a responsibility that people can also learn from dogs. With these kinds of traits and experiences, people tend to appreciate life more and be encouraged to be excellent at such valuable life skills. There are other advantages as well when having a dog but this may vary depending on people’s needs, experiences, personalities, and behavior. Dog owners have a strong immune system helping them to keep well, and expend smaller time getting over with sickness and bugs. People who have illnesses can recover quicker and even have higher survival rates from heart attack if they own a dog. Dogs give a great sense of emotional wellbeing, mental wellbeing, unconditional love, comfort, companionship, and recover from traumas, mental health problems and feel better.
When it comes to cats, of course there is a difference when owning and taking care of a cat, but surely there will be similarities. For people who know how cats behave and how their personality goes, it will be easy for them to understand and be with them. The mental health of people which should always be guarded and taken care of is one of the things that a cat can provide a helpful way to improve it or make it keen or enthusiastic. Cat people love the whickers, fuzzy face, meows, and head nudges that display owners’ benefits from them, especially to mental health. The warm cuddles and purring are some of the common things that you can do with your cat. This helps you lower your stress, it offers companionship, you get to be close, driving the pain away, which serves the cat as a therapy animal. When you encounter a tough or bad day, seeing and giving time with your feline will make your body release stress reducing hormones. When it is done, your heart rate and blood pressure lessen and your anxiety level normalizes. People who feel lonely can build confidence and find purpose in life when a cat is around them and this magnifies the friendship between the two. The interactions you can create with your cat, the reaction to you, reliance, and pure love it gives can establish positive effects on your mental health. Treats such as yummy foods and petting are important for cats so that they will return lovable head bops, purring, and lap naps and it makes both the owner and cat joyful. As scientists have studied, the purr of cats can range from 20 Hz to 140 Hz and is medically therapeutic for people who suffer from illnesses. Surprisingly, a cat’s purr can also help labored breathing, reduce blood pressure, help cure infections and even heal bones. Still, there are some who think or feel that a cat’s qualities can be hard to legitimize the affirmative effects on mental health but studies have shown and proven that physical effects are real. That’s why it is not impossible to say that a cat’s purr can heal damaged bones or have positive impacts on the effects of stress and anxiety. Despite the cats being aloof and headstrong, they can be pretty independent, endearing and pleasant to cuddle. In studies conducted in the UK, their results showed that people love to be with cats while sleeping instead of their partners, this is done particularly by women, and reports show that they actually had better sleep with a cat than with a person. According to Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine, the findings of the study demonstrated that 41 percent of the people slept effectively because of their pet, while only 20 percent said that it led to disturbances. When watching videos on social media that show cats, the energy and positive emotions of viewers tend to rise while diminishing negative feelings - this is a result of a study conducted by 7,000 people of Indiana University Bloomington. Cats can show affection to those who feed them, look after, and play with them, but they do not display it in an obvious way. If a cat is nervous, it is difficult to get its trust. A trick to be considered is to always let the cat get to you instead of you doing the initial move. They’ll surely love treats so it is important to give it to them as rewards. Cats can be as good as dogs, but they can also be low maintenance. They can be less costly than dogs that need walking, training, frequent grooming (depending on the breed), plenty of toys and attention. They can be much suitable for a city living that does not need a wider space for playing and exploration, whether they go around your home up to the kitchen, they will be satisfied. Cats are more quiet, they will only meow when they are hungry, but no worries if they are woken up or get distracted. They will hunt pests such as rodents in your house as well as insects which makes your home pest-free. It’s a common perception that cats cause allergies but when a child gets to interact with cats at an early age and be with them for a longer time, they can fight allergies that might occur. All of these characteristics and flaws can be seen from both dogs and cats, and we all know that they share the pretty great things, impacts and influences on their owners, other people who get benefits from them and to the environment. In general, these types of animals are evident in contributing to the betterment and successful fields and lives of people.
Written by: John Royce Limbo
Sources:
“7 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits Of Being a Cat Owner.” Goodnet, 8 Aug. 2018,
www.goodnet.org/articles/7-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-being-cat-owner.
Lundgren, Kai, and Robert Segal. “The Joys of Owning a Cat.” HelpGuide.org, Sept. 2020,
www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/joys-of-owning-a-cat.htm#.
“Unexpected Benefits of Having a Dog.” Purina, www.purina.co.uk/find-a-
pet/articles/getting-a-dog/adoption/benefits-of-having-a-dog.
Wong, Kate. “The Inner Life of Cats.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2018,
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-inner-life-of-cats/.
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