Have you noticed that more and more friends around you are getting pets in recent years? It’s not just young people—even elderly uncles and aunts walking dogs in parks at night have increased, and pet product promotions during shopping festivals on various platforms are becoming more prominent.
This isn’t an illusion. According to data from the 2021 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumption Report), the number of urban pet (dog and cat) owners nationwide reached 68.44 million in 2021, an 8.7% increase from 2020. The total size of the urban pet (dog and cat) consumption market hit 249 billion yuan, a sharp rise of 20.6% year-on-year.
For young workers in first and second-tier cities, pets are mostly a source of comfort and companionship. For the elderly, pets help alleviate loneliness when their children are not around. But did you know? Beyond emotional support, these lovely creatures also play a role in making humans healthier.
Today, I’ll share 4 surprising studies about the benefits of owning a pet:
✅ Prevent cognitive decline—consider getting a pet for your parents
✅ Boost cardiovascular health, especially with dogs
✅ Dogs reduce risks of death from heart disease and stroke
✅ Cat lovers rejoice: Online cat-watching also relieves negative emotions
As China’s aging population grows, more seniors are choosing pets for companionship. A study shows that the benefits of pet ownership go beyond relieving loneliness—it can also prevent cognitive decline.
Researchers from the University of Michigan surveyed 1,369 seniors with an average age of 65. Among them, 88% were white, 7% Black, 2% Hispanic, and 3% other ethnicities, all with normal cognitive function at the start. 53% of participants owned pets, and 32% had kept pets for over five years. They took multiple cognitive tests, including numerical calculation and vocabulary memory.
Researchers calculated a comprehensive cognitive score (ranging from 0 to 27) based on test results to assess the link between pet ownership and cognitive function.
The study found that after six years, seniors who had kept pets for a long time scored an average of 1.2 points higher than non-pet owners. Additionally, for college-educated adults and men, the longer they owned a pet, the stronger their cognitive abilities.
Researcher Brearly said: "Stress negatively impacts cognitive function, and pet ownership helps prevent this decline. Owning a pet increases physical activity, which may benefit cognitive health."
Quickly share this with parents who oppose pet ownership—for their health, go for it!
Around 17 million people worldwide die from cardiovascular diseases each year. In 2016, 4 million people in Europe died from such diseases, accounting for 45% of all deaths. However, a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings shows that owning a pet—especially a dog—may help maintain cardiovascular health.
The study tracked 1,769 people aged 25-64 with no history of cardiovascular disease (44.3% male). Approximately 42% of participants owned pets: 429 (24.3%) had dogs, and 317 (17.9%) had other types of pets.
Results showed:
Pet owners had higher cardiovascular health scores than non-pet owners.
Dog owners had better cardiovascular health than owners of other pets.
Smoking reduced the cardiovascular benefits of owning a dog.
After all, dogs need daily walks, so dog owners get more physical activity than average, leading to better physical fitness and cardiovascular health.
Dr. Maugeri from the International Clinical Research Center at St. Anne’s University in Brno noted: "Among all pet owners, regardless of age, gender, or education level, dog owners gain the greatest health benefits. People can adopt, rescue, or purchase a pet as a potential strategy to improve cardiovascular health."
A study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes shows that dog owners may live longer than non-dog owners, with a one-third lower risk of dying from heart disease.
First, researchers used health data from Swedish national registries of patients aged 40-85 who had experienced heart disease or stroke between 2001 and 2012. They compared health outcomes of dog owners and non-dog owners after heart attack or stroke.
Compared to non-dog owners:
Dog owners who lived alone after hospitalization for heart attack had a 33% lower death risk; those living with a partner or children had a 15% lower risk.
Dog owners who lived alone after hospitalization for stroke had a 27% lower death risk; those living with a partner or children had a 12% lower risk.
In the data, nearly 182,000 people were recorded with heart disease (6% dog owners), and nearly 155,000 with ischemic stroke (nearly 5% dog owners). The study confirms that dog ownership has a positive impact on reducing death risks from heart disease and stroke.
Second, researchers reviewed 10 meta-analyses involving over 3.8 million patients. Among the 10 studies, 9 compared all-cause mortality between dog owners and non-owners, and 4 compared cardiovascular outcomes.
Results showed that compared to non-dog owners:
Dog owners had a 24% lower all-cause mortality.
Dog owners had a 65% lower death risk after heart attack.
Dog owners had a 31% lower death risk from cardiovascular-related issues.
If you don’t have the means to own a dog, cats—fluffy and more independent—are also a great choice. The BBC documentary The Secret Life of Cats mentions that stroking a cat triggers the release of renin in the body, slowing heart rate and lowering blood pressure by about one-third.
Depression and social isolation are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Being with carefree, healthy pets helps people relax, feel less depressed, and find meaning in life while caring for them—strengthening their will to live.
According to the 2021 China Pet Industry White Paper, the proportion of cat owners has exceeded dog owners, reaching 59.5%. Cats have become the most popular pets, with 58.06 million pet cats and 54.29 million pet dogs in urban Chinese households. Unlike dogs, cats don’t need walks, making them more suitable for office workers.
As a heavy Douyin user, my favorite pastime is online cat-watching. Even though I have my own cat, I enjoy both online and offline interactions! Whether anxious or sad, cuddling with a cat (or watching one online) always helps.
But what if you can’t own a cat right now? Don’t worry—this study will delight you: A study published in Computers in Human Behavior shows that online cat-watching can reduce negative emotions.
Researchers surveyed nearly 7,000 people, 36% of whom identified as "cat lovers" and 60% as loving both cats and dogs.
Participants reported:
Feeling more energetic and positive after watching cat-related online videos.
Experiencing reduced negative emotions like anxiety, worry, and sadness after engaging with cat-related online content.
Feeling less guilty about procrastinating after watching cat videos.
Researchers added: "Even if they watch cat videos on YouTube to procrastinate, the emotional reward may actually help people tackle more challenging tasks afterward."
In short, online cat-watching not only relaxes you but also gives you a valid reason to take a break!
In recent years, numerous pet-themed films, TV shows, and social media influencers have emerged. Undeniably, they bring great happiness and emotional healing.
Many people impulsively get pets after seeing cute online videos, but as their interest fades, large-scale abandonment follows. Holidays and graduation seasons become peak periods for pet abandonment, often due to moving or changing residences.
Pets shouldn’t be our "toys" for entertainment, nor should they be "tools" for greedy pet stores to profit from breeding. No life deserves cold indifference. Owning a pet isn’t a trend to follow—it’s a sign of respect and love from one life to another.
We urge everyone: While pet ownership has many benefits, if you’re not ready or able to take responsibility for a life, please hold back your impulse. Online cat or dog-watching can be just as joyful.
If you’ve carefully considered and decided to get a pet, as the weather gets colder and stray animals struggle to survive, we hope you’ll choose "adoption over purchase" and commit to caring for it wholeheartedly. Love it, accompany each other, and you’ll surely become the most important family in each other’s lives!
