THAT FELINE FEELING

In times of uncertainty our pets have never been more valuable to us. Turns out our cats in particular have special powers

- Caroline Thain

With their comforting companionship and mood-boosting ways, you don’t need to be a feline expert to know cats are good for our wellbeing. So it’s no wonder our pets are even more treasured during the coronavirus crisis – whether you are stuck inside or coming home after a busy shift as a key worker. Spending time stroking a cat has benefits for our mental and physical health. It is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, can ease laboured breathing, and aid relaxation – reducing stroke risk and lowering owners’ chances of heart disease.

Then there’s the power of the purr. Cats purr within a frequency range of 25 and 150 Hz, which is known to be medically therapeutic for both themselves and their human housemates. Amazingly, the frequency of a purr promotes the healing of muscles, bones, and infections.

Just having a cat close to you can trigger calming chemicals in your body which lower your stress and anxiety levels. Few need this more than frontline worker Abigail Turner-Morley, from Wheathampstead, who works in a high dementia unit in a residential care home in Hertfordshire. She looks after residents dying from coronavirus, comforting them as they take their last breaths.

‘I dread going into work because every time I go in, it seems there has been another death,’ she says. ‘I know I have to keep going into work, to help everyone. It is so stressful.

‘Cats purr in a frequency range therapeutic for both themselves and their human housemates’