physically and, especially,psychologically, assuming you are not allergic
to cats. There are 85 millioncats in American households, many of which are
cherished family members. Whatis A 2009 studyTrusted Source, for example,
found thatpeople who had owned a had a lower risk of dying from a
heartattack than people who had never owned a cat.In a 2011 survey
conducted by the United Kingdom feline welfare charity Cats Protection,
93.7% of respondents said owning a cat has been beneficial for their mental
health.And one study showed that living with multiple pets, including cats, can
reduce a child’s likelihood of developing allergies Trusted When people say
they love cats, that love can be intense. For many, a feline friend is
asingularly trustworthy confidant and a comforting presence in times of
loneliness. Are such close relationships, however, healthy on a
psychological or physical level?Geneticists, infectious experts, psychologists, and others have put forward
several theories as to whycats resonate so strongly with some people, and
what effect felines may have ontheir humans’ healthAccording to DNA
analyses, the ancestor of today’s domesticcat was the African wildcat,
Felissilvestris lybica, living in the Fertile Crescent, the intersection
ofancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant, and Persia.While it appears
likely ourconnection with felines began about 9,500 years ago in the Near
East, theearliest evidence of a mutual relationship between cats and humans
dates to5,300 years ago in the agricultural village of Quanhucun,
China.Egyptians famously believed thattheir feline companions embodied
divine energy.
While they are made from keratin, the same substance as hair, cats’
whiskers are far more than that.Whiskers are specialized touch organs,each
with from 100 to 200 nerve cells that provide the cat information
abouteverything they brush against.Whiskers can also signal a feline’smood.
When a cat is relaxed, they stick out from the side of the face. When acat
is happy or excited — while being gently petted, for example — they
pointforward in a tight little arc of pleasure. Whiskers move back against
a cat’sface when alarmed.Dr. Eva-Maria Geigl is the FrenchNational Centre
for Scientific Research Director CNRS at the Institut JacquesMonod
Epigenomics, say “Cats weredomesticated as commensals: They approached
human settlements because there was food — concentrated rodentsthriving on
grain accumulations.
They adapted to this specific human environment, which represented an
evolutionary advantage for them. Humans had areal interest to have cats
around. They were just happy with the cats feastingon the rodents that
destroyed their cereals.”One study found that there were at least 13feline
genes that signaled cats’ transition “from feral to friendly.” The genes
relate tocognition and behavior, and may have strengthened felines’ ability
to learnbased on food rewards, and to feel less fearful of people.The
widespread geographicproliferation of cats probably occurred during the
Middle Ages, according toa studyTrusted Source for which Dr. Geiglwas the
principal investigator.
The National Institutes of Health(NIH) estimateTrusted Source thatthere are
about 85 million cats living in the U.S. There are also about 70million
unowned wild and feral cats in America.Dr. Patricia Pendry of Washington
StateUniversity studies human-animal interactions. She has published
research describingthe especially strong bond between highly emotional
people and their cats.“The subtle and somewhat unpredictable responses cats
give us, give us the perception that weare chosen — or perceived as
‘special’ when a response from a cat does occur. Ialso believe that because
the response tends to take a little bit more time toemerge, we are
captivated by a desire to know what the cat will do.”“And because the
nature and timing oftheir actions are less predictable, we may remain
captivated, almost in an addictive kind of way — you can’t rip yourself
away because that purr, that special rub may be just around the corner,”
said Dr. Pendry.
