Chances are, if you have a pet, you see them as a part of your family. Our four-legged friends not only add happiness to our lives, they improve our mental health, too. A new survey finds that 95% of pet owners say having a pet boosts their mental health on a daily basis.
According to the poll of 2-thousand cat and dog parents:
- Overall, three in five Americans say their pet literally saved their life.
- More than half (56%) feel they’ve been rescued by their pet in one way or another.
- Another 56% would happily repay the favor and say they’d trade years off their own life so their pet could live longer.
- Over a third (34%) of pet owners got a pet specifically to improve their mental health.
- Before they got their cat or dog, just 32% would’ve rated their mental health as an “A,” but after getting their pet, that number soars to 71%.
- Part of the reason for that? On a daily basis, pets make their owners smile 11 times and make them laugh nine times, on average.
- When they’re forced to be away from their fur baby, it only takes an average of five hours before their mental health starts to decline. But that happens within two hours for 41% of respondents.
- And 38% admit they trust their pet’s instincts more than their own.
- Some people feel so connected to their pet that they’re almost twice as likely to trust their pet more than their partner (53% versus 27%).
- Half (49%) admit they’d be fine sitting on the toilet in front of their pet, but not their partner, while others would feel more comfortable to fart (43%), cry (39%) or even take a shower (31%) in front of their cat or dog than their partner.
Source: Talker
Scott's Thoughts:
- I am a cat guy. My cat is 17 years old and I know a bad day is coming.
- My cat knows when I am sad. When I lost my dad recently, I was really sad even sitting and watching tv. I felt that my cat was aware and was trying to comfort me.
- Trusting a pet MORE than your partner does seem a little extreme.