Watching Cat Videos Increases Energy and Positive Emotions, Decreases Negative Feelings, Study Shows

A new study indicates that watching Internet cat videos isn't just entertaining, it also increases positive feelings, decreases negative ones, and gives the viewer energy.  The study, conducted by Indiana University Media School assistant professor, Jessica Gall Myrick, was published in the most recent issue of Computers in Human Behavior.

Myrick surveyed nearly 7,000 individuals about their cat video viewing behavior and how watching cat videos affected their moods.  Mike Bridavsky, Lil' Bub's owner, aided the study by distributing the survey through social media.

Myrick hoped to answer a couple of questions with her study.  She wanted to determine if watching online cat videos has the same type of positive effect that pet therapy does.  Additionally, she wanted to explore whether people actually felt worse after watching online cat videos because they feel guilty about procrastinating tasks they need to complete.

Results

The most popular sites used to watch cat videos in Myrick's study were Facebook, YouTube, BuzzFeed, and I Can Has Cheezburger.  Of the participants in the study, approximately 60% said that they liked cats and dogs while 36% identified themselves as a "cat person."

Participants reported that they often watch cat videos at work or while studying.  Myrick also discovered that cat owners as well as individuals with certain personality traits, such as shyness and agreeableness were more likely to watch online cat videos.

The participants reported feeling more positive and energetic after viewing cat videos than they had before.  Additionally, they indicated that they had fewer negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, and annoyance after watching cat-related media than they did before.  In regards to Myrick's question about feeling guilty over procrastinating, participants reported that the pleasure they received from watching online cat videos outweighed any guilt they felt about procrastinating.

For each completed survey, Myrick donated 10 cents to Lil' Bub's foundation, Lil Bub's Big Fund for the ASPCA.

In light of these results and, because today is International Box Day, take a moment to watch this cute cat video before tackling your work.



If you can't see the video, you can watch it on YouTube here.

How do you feel after watching cat videos?

Source:

IU Bloomington Newsroom: Not-so-guilty Pleasure: Viewing Cat Videos Boosts Energy and Positive Emotions, IU Study Finds. 

Cute Kitten Photos Improve Concentration

Having trouble concentrating on a project at work?  Take a kitten break!  That's right - a new study conducted at Hiroshima University in Japan suggests that looking at photos of kittens and puppies can improve your concentration and attention to detail.

Cute Photos Can Improve Concentration

In this experiment, 48 university students played a game similar to "Operation," where they had to use tweezers to get little plastic body parts out of holes in a "patient's" body without touching the sides of the holes.  After one round of the game, half of the students were shown photos of adult dogs and cats while the other half were shown pictures of kittens and puppies.  

The researchers found that the students improved their performance on the second round of the game after they had viewed photos of kittens and puppies.  More specifically, these students seemed to perform the task in a slower and more deliberate manner.  However, those who had viewed photos of adult cats and dogs did not improve their performance in the second round of the game.

Cute Photos Can Improve Attention to Detail

The researchers conducted a second timed experiment where college students were asked to identify a series of stimuli shown on a screen.  Each stimulus was one large letter made up of many smaller letters.  For example, a bunch of small Ws would be in the form of a large T.  

Students were randomly shown photos of baby animals, adult animals, or neutral objects between each task.  Students who viewed the cute baby animals were faster at identifying the small letters that composed the large letters.  

This experiment suggests that looking at cute baby animals may help a person shift one's attention to focus on details more effectively.  The researchers hypothesize that this could be because babies require their caregivers to focus closely on their mental and physical well-being and to be alert to possible threats.   

The findings of this study are published in the journal PLoS ONE.  

The next time you find yourself struggling to focus on a task, try looking at several photos of cute baby kittens and puppies.  You might just find that it helps improve your ability to concentrate!  

A few of websites I enjoy containing cute kittens are:  

Good Morning Kitten.

Daily Kitten.

LOL Cats.

Did viewing cute baby animal photos help improve your concentration? Please come back and let us know if this technique worked for you!

Source

PsychCentral: Viewing Cute Images Improves Concentration

Kidney Disease Clinical Trials Seeking Feline Participants

First, I wanted to thank all of the kitties and kitty parents who left me purrs and/or purrayers and/or nice thoughts on my last post. I appreciate the outpouring of support so much. Please continue to purr and purray for me, if you don't mind. I just hope the situation works out the way it is supposed to. Thanks!

Now for today's post: I thought I'd pass this information along because I know that a lot of older cats, especially females, suffer from this and it would be wonderful if we could find new, better treatments for kidney disease. Our sweet, sweet Emma was taken from us by this disease. She's now an angel watching us all from the Rainbow Bridge.

Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, is currently looking for felines with chronic kidney disease to participate in clinical trials aimed at discovering new treatments for the disease. Please note that while these studies are being conducted in Colorado, not all of the clinical trials require felines to be seen in Colorado; felines from around the nation are eligible to participate in some of these studies as well.

Stem Cell Therapy: In laboratories, it has been shown that stem cells improve levels of excess protein in the urine, improve the function of the kidneys, and decrease scarring and inflammation in the kidneys. Cats who have stable chronic renal disease are invited to participate in this clinical trial where they will receive three IV injections of stem cells over several visits with a veterinarian. Felines' kidney function will be monitored throughout the study. This study does require that your kitty visit the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Colorado a total of five times.

All lab work, veterinary visits, stem cell treatments, and a $200 stipend for the owner are paid by Colorado State University's Frankie's Fund for Feline Stem Cell Research and the Morris Animal Hospital. Felines who may not qualify for this clinical trial include those with other disease, kidney stones, heart disease, kidney infection, or other renal complications.

Vitamin E Supplementation: Felines with stable chronic kidney disease, especially those with anemia, are sought for this clinical trial. The study aims to discover whether vitamin E supplements will improve a cat's antioxidant status and anemia, if applicable. Felines who do not have anemia can also participate in this study. After some initial laboratory work, kitties will either receive a placebo or a small amount of liquid vitamin E each day for a duration of three months. Cats will need to visit a veterinarian after one and two months of supplementation for a brief visit. After three months of supplementation, cats will need to visit the vet for additional tests as well.

Kitties who are not eligible for this study include those who are undergoing erythropoietin and those who possess other illnesses. All lab work, veterinary visits, and recheck visits will come at no charge to the owner. Felines from around the nation are eligible to participate.

Appetite Stimulation and Anti-Nausea with Mirtazapine: Another study felines from around the nation can participate in is this study on mirtazapine, which is a new appetite stimulant that also possesses anti-nausea properties. Cats in the study will be given either an appetite stimulant or a placebo every other day for the duration of two weeks. Felines will then cross into the other group for two weeks. Vet visits are required at the beginning, middle, and end of the clinical trial.

All vet visits and lab work are paid for by the study. At home, owners will be required to record observations about their kitties' attitude and appetite. In addition, all cats who are enrolled in the study will receive a two-month supply of mirtazapine and a six-month supply of Purina kidney diet cat food. Those who are not eligible for this study include cats with kidney infection or any other uncontrolled conditions.

Urine Culture Technique: Felines with kidney disease are prone to contracting a difficult to diagnose type of bacterial kidney infection called pyelonephritis. This clinical trial aims to determine if a new test is accurate in diagnosing this type of kidney infection when compared to standard tests. Kitties who are eligible to participate include those who currently possess pyelonephritis, those who are suspected to have pyelonephritis, and those who have a urinary tract infection. Participating cats will receive a kidney ultrasound and all laboratory tests needed for the study. Those who have been treated with antibiotics are not eligible to participate.

Cerenia for the Treatment of Nausea: Kitties who possess stable chronic kidney disease and who experience nausea, are "picky eaters," or experience vomiting may be eligible to participate in this clinical trial. Cats will need to have a physical exam and chemistry panel done by a veterinarian both before and after the trial, which will be paid for by the study. All cats will either receive Cerenia, a drug that decreases nausea, or a placebo for a duration of two weeks. During the two-week trial, cat owners will need to fill out a daily diary of the feline's behavior as well. Cats who possess other health conditions may not be able to participate in this study.

Kidney Samples: Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital is also offering free private cremation services to owners whose furry friends have gone to the Rainbow Bridge due to kidney failure. The veterinarians would like to study samples of deceased cats' kidneys in order to study how the cells age, if again plays a part in kidney disease, to better comprehend the stages of kidney disease, and to determine if a lack of appetite and nausea in felines with kidney failure is caused by a specific condition.

All of the deceased cat's ashes will be returned to the owner within about a week.

If you are interested in more information or wish to enroll a cat in any of these studies, you may contact Jessica Quimby, DVM at 970-297-5000.

Source:

CatChannel: Cats with Kidney Disease Sought for Clinical Trials

Cats Reduce Risk of Heart Attack in America

I know I promised a guide to brushing your cat's teeth, and I still plan on sharing one with you, but I simply couldn't resist sharing this with everyone!

A new study lends more evidence to support that cats are excellent promoters of physical and mental health.

In this study, Dr. Adam Qureshi and his colleagues followed 4,435 individuals for ten years. Two-thousand individuals in the study were not cat owners while the remaining 2,435 were cat owners.

The researchers indicated that their results show cat owners have a 30% reduced risk of having a heart attack. They also found that people who owned cats were less likely to die from a heart attack than those who did not own cats.

If you'd like to read more about this study, you may do so at Forbes.