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August 22, 2019

Science just decided if ‘crazy cat ladies’ really exist

Science just decided if ‘crazy cat ladies’ really exist
Dr. Chris Brown
by DR. CHRIS BROWN

It’s one of life’s big questions. At what point does a caring pet owner cross-over to become a crazy cat lady...or man. Well, finally we have the surprising answer...

For such a big question, researchers at UCLA in the US of A went large. They studied 500 pet owners to see if the long-held crazy cat lady stereotype was fair. In essence, does being a cat owner increase your chances of having social or mental health challenges. Considering this is talking directly to me as a potential cat man, I’m a little anxious right now just writing this.

So let’s all take a deep breath. The answer? Cat owners showed no increase in levels of anxiety, depression or social isolation. Yes, the crazy cat lady stereotype is a myth. A round of a-claws please. (No-one said anything about men though. Damn.)

But it gets even better. Cat AND dog owners were found to be more empathetic than non-pet owners as they they became sadder when played the sounds of animal distress calls.

So there you have it. Not crazy. And in fact, even more caring. It’s a good day to be a pet person...

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