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🔬 RESEARCH ROUND UP
Scientists Explain Why Watching Cat Videos Is Good for You

Cats, they're a boost to your mental health. Watching feline celebs like Lil Bub or Grumpy Cat can actually crank up your energy levels, dial up the good vibes, and tone down the bad ones. It turns out, with nearly 2 million cat videos racking up almost 26 billion views in 2014 alone, these clips do more for us than any other content on YouTube.

Myrick's findings, drawn from a survey of about 7,000 cat video aficionados, show that viewers walk away from their screens feeling happier and more alive, with significantly less anxiety, annoyance, or sadness. Her study, published in "Computers in Human Behavior," proves watching these furry goofballs might be one of the best ways to lift your spirits and sharpen your focus—a quirky but potent remedy for the daily grind.

🫂 CAT COMMUNITY
Missing Cat Found After 5 Years Makes 2,000-km Journey Home

Cindy and Jeff Hall had pretty much written off any chance of seeing their Russian Blue cat, Luke, again after he slipped out the door and disappeared. They had adopted him as a kitten from Pawsitively Cats in Arizona, but after moving to Nevada and years without a trace, hope was fading. That was until a call came in five years later—Luke had been found alive, albeit under a new name, Sam, and in a place over 2,000 kilometers away in Arkansas.

A pair of eagle-eyed volunteers spotted him loitering around a gas station in Brinkley, Arkansas, and scooped him up to check his microchip at the local vet. That tiny chip was a game-changer, leading right back to the Halls. The journey back wasn’t straightforward; it took a relay of volunteer drivers from Alone 2 Home pet transport to get Sam across states back to his family. How did a Nevada house cat end up at an Arkansas gas station, and what tales could he tell? Dive into the full scoop here.

🫂 COMMUNITY CALLS
Almost Half of U.S. Pet Owners See Pets as Family Members

Pets are a big deal in many American homes and let’s be real, they're a BIG part of the family. A Pew Research Center survey found that almost all pet owners in the U.S. (97%) think of their pets as family members, and more than half (51%) treat them just like humans. This varies a lot based on who you ask, showing that people see their furry friends in many different ways. Check out these interesting statistics! 👇

• Pet Ownership: 62% of Americans have pets, and 35% have multiple.

• Pets as Family Members:

  • Women vs. Men: More women (57%) than men (43%) see their pets as family.

  • Income Influence: People with lower incomes (64%) are more likely to consider their pets full family members compared to those with higher incomes.

  • City vs. Country: Urban pet owners (61%) are more likely to view their pets as family compared to rural (50%) and suburban (47%) owners.

Who's Got The Pets? 🤔

• Race and Pet Ownership: White (68%) and Hispanic (66%) adults are more likely to have pets than Asian (37%) and Black (34%) adults.

• Where You Live: Rural folks (71%) are more likely to have pets than city or suburb dwellers.

• Marital Status: Those who are married or with a partner are more likely to have pets than single people.

Clearly, pets mean a lot to us American owners, appearing as genuine members of the family. How we view and care for our pets varies, and understanding these differences can help address the needs of pets and their owners more effectively. With pets deeply embedded in family life, it's interesting to think about how pet care might evolve in the future.