Does Petting a Cat or Dog Reduce Stress? Here’s What Science Says

Perhaps you heard someone mention it in passing or maybe you just feel better after petting your cat or dog. Either way, it is a common thought and sentiment, but does science back up this claim or is it just a feeling you get?

The truth is that petting a cat or dog can reduce stress levels. It’s not just a fuzzy warm feeling you get; it’s a scientifically proven way to reduce stress levels!

Does Petting a Cat Reduce Stress?

It might be hard to believe at first blush, but a study completed by Washington State University¹ successfully demonstrated a drop in stress hormones simply by petting a cat for 10 minutes a day!

The study involved a group of 249 college students and was an outstanding success showing that petting cats or dogs for 10 minutes a day can reduce stress levels. Even more impressive is the fact that the study demonstrated a drop in stress levels regardless of the original stress levels of the students.

If a student was already experiencing high-stress levels, they would drop, but even if they had low-stress levels, they dropped further. This means that no matter your current stress levels, you can benefit from petting an animal.

woman sitting down with two dogs and a cat — Image Credit: Chewy, Unsplash

The 5 Other Benefits of Owning Pets

While petting a cat can help you lower stress levels, it’s far from the only way pets can benefit your life. Below, we’ve highlighted five other benefits that come with pet ownership.

1. Increase Social Interactions

Simply owning a pet can open avenues for new interactions with interesting people. When people find out you own a pet, they’ll often want to talk to you about it, and they might even want to get their pet together with yours. It’s another avenue to meet people you wouldn’t have if you didn’t own a pet.

woman introducing cat to dog — Image Credit: Chendongshan, Shutterstock

2. Boosts Baby Immune Systems

It might seem a bit far-fetched, but WebMD highlights that newborns in homes with pets are less likely to develop allergies and asthma. To reap these benefits, you need to expose the baby to the animals as early as possible, ideally before they’re 6 months old.

3. Improves Mood

Pets give your life a sense of purpose and meaning, and this acts as a natural mood booster. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a good or bad day, your pet is always there happily waiting for you. Having this in your life generally leads to happier people.

Senior man with dogs and cat on his lap on bench — Image Credit: Budimir Jevtic, Shutterstock

4. Healthier Hearts

This is more true for dog owners, but it’s still a noteworthy perk. People with pets tend to get out more and have more active lifestyles, which leads to healthier hearts and longer lives. Even if you’re already experiencing heart problems, studies link those with pets to a longer life than those without.

5. Great for Autistic Support

Do you know someone with autism, or do you have someone with autism in your home? If so, getting a pet is a great idea. This is true for classrooms at school and when you’re at home. Pets have a way of bringing everyone together!

Woman holding a white fluffy cat and Jack Russell Terrier dog while sitting on the bed — Image Credit: Reshetnikov_art, Shutterstock

Final Thoughts

Are you feeling stressed? See if you can’t find a cat or dog you can pet. It’s a small step that can help reduce your stress levels, and you don’t need to spend a ton of time each day doing it.

It’s not just a warm and fuzzy feeling you get, and science backs it up—petting cats and dogs is good for you and leads to a low-stress life!

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Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock