Researchers at Minnesota Univeristy have recently carried out research showing that caring for a cat can cut the risk of strokes and heart attacks by more than a third. 

A study has found that sharing your life with a feline friend helps to reduce stress and anxiety and this protects against heart disease by lowering blood pressure.   In a study that looked at the health of over 4,000 people, only 3-4% of cat owners died from heart attack in a 10 year period whilst among those who had never owned a cat, the death rate from the same cause was much higher, between 5-8%.  Researchers were surprised at the beneficial effect that cats had on humans.   They believe that caring for and especially stroking a cat can reduce the heart rate and relieve stress.  The research found the cat ownership benefits to exist even when other factors were taken into account, such as smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Isn't it all down to that warm affectionate feeling you get when your cat sits on your knee and purrs?  Of course any cat could have told them that!

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