Are Dog Owners Less Lonely ? Researchers Say There might Be a Link. ABC News 9/8/24

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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-09/dog-and-cat-owners-and-neurosis/104199284

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James Cook University psychology researchers Leah Baines and Jessica Oliva analysed 321 people's responses between June and August 2023 to an online survey about their personality traits, with the study published last month in journal Anthrozoös.

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Dr Oliva said the research, Unleashing the Personality Divide: Resilience in Dog Owners, Neuroticism in Cat Owners, had implications about what was known about the impact of pet ownership on mental health. 

"I think what this research shows is there's not necessarily a benefit to your mental health from owning a dog or a cat, to the extent that people should be making quick decisions, to adopt them for a quick fix."

 

I think what this research shows is that 321 people answering an online survey over a 3 month period is not enough to actually draw any categorical result regarding this topic.

 

It may be that this research paper could be used to instigate further in-depth studies (with many more participants) into the conclusions it draws. Breeds of dog/cats, or even rats, rabbits, reptiles, birds owned may also factor... it's not as simple as just owning a cat or dog and the owner's mental state.

 

I think the research could be expanded to owners of all types of pets and their effect on certain mental health issues. Age of the participant may also factor, as will other life experiences before and after becoming a pet owner.

 

There are plenty of published studies that show categorically that pet ownership does have a good effect on the mental health of humans, but this study seems to be claiming that cat ownership in particular might not be as beneficial to resilience in humans... which definitely needs further study to clarify whether that is actually the case. Factors like whether the pet cat is free-roaming or indoor only would need to be taken into account for a start... I'd say that indoor only cats that like to hang out with their owners would have more beneficial effect methinks.

 

Personally, I know that when I'm feeling particularly low mentally, going out and having contact with a wide range of animals seems to calm those feelings. There is something about forming relationships/bonds with a completely different species that absolutely affects my mood in the most positive way... I call it "refilling my soul". I am much luckier than most, as I have friends with exotic animals like monkeys, meerkats, lions, livestock, native animals, etc... and just hanging out with some of those species and forming some form of communication/relationship with them is a buzz that is incomparable to anything else I've experienced... I highly recommend it actually.

 

T.