Kitty Blog

How do kitties contribute to health and medical research?

Cats may offer various insights into medical research, as some of the health issues that impact them are closely related to many of the health issues we as people face in life. 

Like us, cats are prone to contracting an immunodeficiency virus called: (FIV) Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. 

Progress in FIV research can aid professionals in better understanding & treating the HIV virus.

A research paper presented in March of 2018 identified why cats infected with FIV may generate a resistance to antiretroviral therapy, which lowers the virus levels within the blood.

The researchers think that these discoveries can significantly benefit experts in helping them create improved HIV therapies for humans, so as to eliminate the issue of therapy resistance in the future.

Can cats influence us to do better in life?

We know that cats can provide a myriad of psychological and physiological health improvements, but did you know that cats can also influence your personality to help you preform better in life?

A study has presented that the presence of cats can improve your financial position in a surprising way! It boils down to a parasite called: Toxoplasma gondii.

This particular brand of parasite and infection does not ordinarily have any negative or lasting impacts on adults, however it has, in few cases, been connected to prominent health issues for young children and people with compromised or weakened immune systems.

Interestingly, the researchers have found a link connecting Toxoplasma gondii to the increased prospect of risk taking, the kinds of risks that can contribute to financial progress.

It turns out that individuals who were exposed to the T. gondii parasite became 1.4x more likely to select a major in business and were 1.7x more likely to focus on entrepreneurship & management.

Kitties also aid in developing social interaction and behavior in children who have disorders that impact their capacity to understand, process and respond to the emotions of others.

A study found that kids with autism who grow up and become bonded with cats display improved behaviors, as the kittens can provide the child a healthy dose of emotional support.

How can cats benefit my health?

Kitties can provide many health benefits to their caretakers. Studies have found that people who spend more time and live amongst cats have a reduced chance of suffering from a heart attack.

This could potentially be due to cat lovers being abundantly calmer individuals who have an easier time dealing with stress, it helps to consider that spending more time with your furry companion provides a pleasant and calming effect, contributing to a healthier heart.

An additional study proposed that babies who spent more time around domestic pets, including cats, were less prone to allergy problems as well as obesity.

The research notes that when babies are exposed to these pets early in life, they have a more advanced development of two gut bacteria: Oscillospira & Ruminococcus, which aid in protecting the child from many allergies.

According to research conducted in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, being exposed to cats early in the home has also been linked to reduced presence of asthma in children.

The researchers have surmised that this could be due to the fact that being exposed to cats may improve the absorption of a type of sialic acid. This acid does not develop naturally in humans, but happens to balance the body's inflammatory response.