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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...
