Cat owners appear to have a much lower risk of dying from a heart attack than their feline-spurning counterparts, a study suggests. Researchers looked at nearly 4,500 adults and found that cat ownership was related to a 40% lower risk of suffering a fatal heart attack. The team speculated that having a cat may reduce stress and anxiety, and so protect against cardiovascular disease.
From BBC News
Now, I'm sorry but as far as I'm concerned that is absolute tosh. Julie, the world's moodiest cat causes me as much stress as the rest of my family. When I get up in the morning she paces the window ledge of the kitchen expecting me to drop everything to let her in (I thought about getting a cat flap but don't want to risk the entire cat population of Edinburgh paying me a visit) When I do eventually let her in she wants fed. And not your cheap Tescos 'value' cat food. Oh, no. Bloody choice cuts if you don't mind.
Then, when I'm having my breakfast contemplating the day ahead, she jumps up on my lap getting my neatly pressed trousers (okay, I made that bit up) covered in cat hair.
It's the same last thing at night. Just when I think I've booted her backside out for the night, she appears on the window ledge. Marching up and down, demanding to get in. Just as I'm about to switch off the light and head for bed. And she wants fed.
And all this grief is in addition to the mice she leaves in the garden which ensures I have a clearing exercise before grandson Jack comes round to play out the back.
And moods? Good Lord. Everything's on her terms. When she wants petted she'll leap on your person without a bye or leave. But if you dare to even look at her when she's in one of her all too frequent anti-social phases then you have to be prepared to be scratched, hissed at and generally despised. A bit like my wife (without the leaping on my person bit)
Less at risk from a heart attack? The cat in chez Smith - and she's not the one in the picture I hasten to add - is pushing me nearer to one every day...
4 comments:
Ah yes, I do know what you mean. After I separated from my ex I was told to get a cat, it would lower my blood pressure and make me calm and serene. I'm writing this right after my cat got into her "cat crazy" mood and started tearing around the apartment, then without warning all 20 pounds of her jumped full force with claws out on my lap and then used me as a springboard to jump on my desk and knock all of my papers off. So, I am now bleeding from her claws and I'm having to put my papers back in order. I do not feel that my blood pressure is lowering right now...BUT even after all the crap she puts me through, I'll be crushed when she goes on to that big catbox in the sky or wherever it might be...I bet, deep down Mike, you love that little monster...hee hee.
I know exactly how you feel......our boy is a crazy little man who only wants to be loved on his terms and how dare us if we pet him or give him a rub when he's not for it LOL His latest thing is to jump onto the window sill and bat at the blinds until someone wakes up and feeds him - no worries - but not at 3am LOL!!! Lower your stress levels - HA! Try more like escalate it! But alas, when its his turn to go - I will be heartbroken......
Melissa
Personally I believe the reason for cat owners having a lower risk of heart attacks is due to the extra physical exercise that pets provide us (up and down of comfy chairs, letting them in and out of house often at ungodly hours of the night, brushing off fur on black clothing etc etc), nothing to do with mentally calming us humans at all!
Not sure about the heart attack bit but my two cats will probably be responsible for me falling down stairs and breaking my neck.... what is it about cats that they HAVE to get ahead of you, run in between your feet when you head to the kitchen and mine when I am preparing food sit at my feet so when I move I end up like a whirling ballerina trying not to step on them ..... ah don't you just love the furballs :-)
p.s. thanks for dropping by 70s land (you never know Slade mey show up yet!!!!!)
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