It’s no secret, cats have a strange effect on people… The ancient Egyptians worshipped them, royalty “owned” them, celebrities bragged about them and some (a lot actually) have their own Social Media accounts.

Ever since the birth of the world wide web in 1990, people have been sending each other funny cat images. In 2015, CNN estimated that there could be around 6.5 billion cat pictures on the internet. In that same year there where more than 2 million cat videos on Youtube with an average of 12,000 views per video. Grumpy Cat & Lil Bub is said to be the most famous cats on Social Media. Grumpy cat has 8,7 million followers on Facebook and 2,5 million on Instagram. Lil Bub has 3 million followers on Facebook and 1,8 million on Instagram.

So why are people so crazy about cats? Well, in a nutshell, they make you feel better. Scientists all around the world have dedicated their time and effort in finding out what the deal is with cats and people. In a survey they found that the participants were more happy after watching cat videos. They have also found that people are more likely to feel more energetic and positive after viewing online cat content. “Owning” a cat can improve your overall wellbeing, check out the infographic at the bottom of this post for 22 ways cats make us happier and healthier. Studies have shown that “owning” a cat can:

• Decrease stress and anxiety
• Decreases risk of stroke & heart disease. The University of Minnesota’s Stroke Institute conducted a study where it indicated that non cat owners are 30-40% more likely to suffer from heart disease than individuals that have cats.
• Boosts immunity. Kids that grew up with cats in the house are less likely to get allergies or asthma when they are older.
• Therapeutic benefits. Cats have a calming effect on their owners. This calming effect triggers the release of oxytocin, which is the hormone known for inducing feelings of love and trust.
• Lowers blood pressure. Due to the calming effect of cats, cat owners are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure than non-cat owners.
• Lowers cholesterol levels.
• Provide companionship. Owning a cat reduces feelings of loneliness. Though cats are often known for their independence, the bond between a cat and its owner reinforces companionship. A Swiss study conducted in 2003 revealed that owning a cat is similar to having a romantic partner.
• Reduces carbon footprint.  A study conducted in 2009, found that over the span of a dog’s lifetime, the resources needed to feed a dog make the same eco-footprint as that of a Hummer. Meanwhile, cats—which eat less in general and are more likely to eat fish than corn or beef flavoured products—only have the approximate carbon footprint of a Volkswagen Golf.

I personally did not grow up with cats and I never understood what the whole deal was, until I got my first cat. You realise very quickly why cats are such a big deal online and why people love their cats so much. I can not imagine what my life was before “owning” a cat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also a dog person, but a house is incomplete without a cat.

Ever since the online cat sensation, stray and feral cats have decreased. More people are adopting and more cats are neutered, which is doing wonders for the eco system. Heavy stray & feral cat populated areas are experiencing major negative effects on their bird life, some areas have even opted for mass euthanasia efforts to lower the population of unwanted cats. Even though this is very disturbing and sad, it does totally make sense, as birds have a very important function in nature. The downside to this effort is that the rat population will grow and so will disease.

That is why it is important that we start being proactive with our unwanted cat population. One Queen can produce about 100 kittens in her lifetime. A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just 7 years. That is why we should not only adopt unwanted cats, we should also spay and neuter them. If you are allergic to cats or if you prefer your favourite virtual cat above an actual one, how about supporting your local cat shelter? Not only can they get unwanted cats a new loving home, they also spay and neuter feral cats before releasing them back into their area. By spaying and neutering we will not only lower the over population of cats, but fewer cats will get into life threatening fights with rival male cats.

Improve your health today by adopting a cat. Or skip the gym and go volunteer at your local cat shelter where you can improve your health for free.

To help boost the effects your cat is having on you, opt for Ozone Therapy. Ozone Therapy boosts your immune system, fights heart disease, lowers cholesterol, fights anxiety and depression, reduces stress, fights asthma & allergies and improve your overall health.

If you would like to know more about our Ozone Steam Saunas please contact us:

Salvagente

+27 (0)72 422 1967
[email protected]