Having a cat around when working from home can have amazing benefits on your wellbeing. They can make the purrfect companions! With Forbes reporting that 40% of the workforce are working from home at some point during the week, we as a workforce are spending an increasing amount of time in the home. We know that we talk about the benefits of dogs on wellbeing a lot here at Journey Recruitment. We are lucky to get to spend a lot of time with our Chief Wellness Officer, Leonard the Goldendoodle when at work. However, cats can also prove to be a fantastic companion when working from home and provide some really amazing benefits for people’s health and wellbeing. Our Director, Carole Whyte, has a beautiful Ragdoll cat called Bluebell (pictured here) who is a fantastic calming influence when working from home. Therefore, we thought explore how these cute furry companions can have some amazing benefits on people’s health.
The Purrfect Companions: The Benefits of Cats on Your Wellbeing When Working from Home
They Help to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Sadly, now more than ever we are living in an increasingly anxious world. According to Champion Health, 76% of people are experiencing moderate to high levels of stress and 60% of people are experiencing mild symptoms of anxiety. Sadly, work is a huge contributor to people’s stress levels, with never ending deadlines and KPI’s continually adding stress to people’s plates
However, having a cat around may prove to be a huge help for those experiencing stress and anxiety. A study by the American Psychiatric Association, “Cat owners were more likely than dog owners to say their pets offer companionship, provide a calming presence and help reduce stress and anxiety.”
Furthermore, according to this Australian study, people that owned a cat had better psychological health than those who didn’t. Here at Journey Recruitment, some of the team have expe
rienced the effect that cats can have on stress levels. Many cats have a very chilled out and laid-back approach to life and enjoy a life of lounging and sleeping, so they can definitely chill you out too!
They Can Alleviate Loneliness
Cats also make amazing companions. They can be very friendly and loving, and having a warm cat cuddled up in your lap can be one of the most relaxing feelings. This study actually found that those who had a cat were less likely to feel secluded than those who didn’t own a cat. Some people who work from home struggle with loneliness, so having a cat around can really help alleviate some of this.
They Can Have Benefits on Heart Health and Blood Pressure
There are quite a lot of studies out there that state that cats can actually improve cardiovascular health and reduce blood pressure. This study actually found that cat owners were 40% less likely to have a heart attack that could be fatal. Therefore, having a feline friend around could really help with not only just your mood but your body too!
We really hope this blog post about The Purrfect Companions: The Benefits of Cats on Your Wellbeing When Working from Home will help you and perhaps persuade you to rehome a cat today! There are plenty of cats in shelters needing rehoming today that could prove to be your perfect working companion. Please do visit the Cats Protection website to find out more.
Whilst we can’t help you get a cat; we can help you find a lovely new job! Please do check out our careers page here to see what amazing new roles we have live at the moment.