Cats, dogs, iguanas, goats, chickens, spiders... and mental health

Guy Fawkes Night can mean fun for some, but it can also bring on fear and loathing in your beloved pet. At a time when we think of our pets’ mental health, and look after them, Shona Clarke also thinks about her own mental health and what our pets can do for us.

Actually, I’m not sure about an iguana as a pet but I’m sure somewhere, somebody has one.

I’ve had a few pets: cats, birds, fish and a spider. My first, Mr. D. Longlegs, met his end in my bath one day when I was about five and it was one of my first recollections of loving something other than a person. When I was a teenager, Mr. Shark ironically got eaten by other fish. As you can see, extremely creative naming of my pets has obviously not been my forté... until my current pet.

I’ve had my cat, Zoe, for about eight years. I didn’t know it when I named her, but Zoe means ‘life’ in Greek and in her own way she’s helped me keep mine.

Just as a cat would have it, I’m her number one fan.  Photos of her often frequently emerge as the picture on my computer desktop, on my cell phone and on my coffee thermos.  While it might appear I have an unhealthy obsession about a black and white furball, in actual fact, photos of Zoe remind me of her resilience and her ability to cheer me up when stuff isn’t so good.

Zoe was an SPCA cat and has had physical problems, some of which are probably associated with poor nutrition as a kitten. She’s had most of her teeth out, has had nose cancer a couple of times and is a bit arthritic.  Despite the fact that she’s not so young anymore, she still regularly manages to bring me presents of mice and birds. If my cat can do that and be that resilient, I feel like I can also do difficult things in life.

Zoe also has an uncanny ability to sense when I’m distressed and will come and sit with me, or on me, and purr or demand to be patted. Perhaps I read too much into her actions, but I believe she senses my mood and does what she can to help. And I fall for her demands, I pat her, and scratch her chin and that distraction pulls me slightly away from whatever kind of distress I might be experiencing.

I’m not alone in benefiting from my pet! Research shows that stroking or petting animals can have at least short term health benefits such as decreasing blood pressure and heart rate.  There is also a body of research that suggests pets can positively affect mental health such as helping to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, facilitating social interactions between people and providing empathy and even therapy.

I know not everyone can own a pet for a variety of reasons, but you can still benefit from animals by visiting a friend who has one, going to a pet store, petting zoo or hanging out with the cows in a nearby public park!
I’d love to hear how your pet or an animal has made a difference to your mental health, so please share your stories.

Shona Clarke, Mental Health Promoter, Like Minds, Like Mine