Owning A Cat Could Save Your Life

Imagine if, at your next check-up, your doctor said, "Adopt two cats and I'll see you in six months."

There may not be a single one-size-fits-all remedy for modern malaise and physical ailments but there is one thing that many people, from the scientific community to your local community, often agree on: pets are good for human health.

Pets provide a companionship connection and ease lonliness. Dogs and cats have long thought to help human health by reducing stress and anxiety.

And while it's certainly true that if you adopt a homeless cat from your local shelter you have the satisfaction of knowing you saved a life, is it possible that adopting that cat can save your own life too?

Studies say yes.

One Canadian study in 2006 determined that cat ownership is better for the heart than some widely heralded cholesterol medications.

A Minnesota University study concluded that owning a cat cuts stroke risk by a third.

Yet another study found that owning a cat has a beneficial effect on blood pressure. And the good news doesn't end there. Apparently both dogs and cats can, in some cases, stem the pervasiveness of both allergies and asthma, according to researchers in Canada and New Zealand.

A 2001 study from the University of Virginia Asthma and Allergic Disease Center showed that some children will develop a tolerance and even an antibody to cat allergies simply by having a cat and that their allergy could even worsen if all their friends' families have a cat and they don't.

For those who want a cat for their home and health, LifeLine Animal Project has the prescription. Their "9 Lives for 9 Dollars" cat adoption special event is taking place Nov. 16-18 at their cage-free Kitty Motel at 129 Lake St. in Avondale Estates.

It is part of a promotion in November across the United States, supported
by national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society and funded in part by PetSmart Charities.

This open house event will showcase LifeLine's adoptable adult and young cats and normal adoption fees are discounted to $9 per cat. All cats available for adoption have been seen by a veterinarian, spayed/neutered, recieved all their shots and have been micro chipped.

It's easy and saves time to get pre-approved to adopt a cat or cats from LifeLine by contacting adoptions@LifeLineAnimal.org or mblair@LifeLineAnimal.org. Even if you pre-apply there is no obligation to adopt if you do not find the cat you are looking for at the open house or in their "virtual shelter" online.

"9 Lives for 9 Dollars" open house hours at LifeLine's Kitty Motel are Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17 from 2-7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, from 12-5 p.m.