Study says pets improve well-being as much as being married
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- New research suggests having a cat or a dog could improve your well-being as much as being married or meeting up regularly with friends and family.
The study was published in the journal "Social Indicators Research." It's well documented that pets offer companionship, reduce stress and provide a sense of purpose, bu this study found having a pet could help with life satisfaction as much as having more money.
If you don't have a pet at home, fear not! You can head to the Sun City Kitty Cafe in the Shoppes at Solana. It's a coffee bar and gift shop with a kitties on hand for you to pet, play with, and rub behind the ears. Co-owner Ross Ingram says it's been fun for him to watch how people interact with the cats. He calls it a win-win situation.
"It's beneficial for the cats as well. There are lots of cats that it might not be easy for them to find a home. Some of the older cats that are scraggly looking. People come here and bond with them and ...they end up taking that cat home, whereas it may languish in a shelter otherwise," Ingram says.
There are more than a dozen cats on hand at Sun City Kitty, and customers have to sign up to reserve time with the cats. The busiest times according to Ingram are after 4 when school gets out, and on weekends.
As more kitties move into their "forever homes" and are adopted, new adoptable cats will take their place.
Scott Brown, general manager of the Shoppes at Solana, says their mall is pet-friendly. They allow well-behaved pets on leashes not just on national pet day, but every day.
