The Power of Animals

I’ve had six cats over my roughly fifty years. One of them, Poppy, died when I was thirteen, and never saw me enter my teens and fall onto so many bad patches.  Mickey was there for the beginning of all that, up until 1996. She was a lovely cat. Then, there were the mighty Buddy and Finny, who saw it all. Multiple hospitalizations, a cross-border move, and as many different apartments as there are days of the week. My cats were there for me.   

Now, I exist along-side two middle-aged cats, Maggie and Birdy.  They have helped me enormously over the past few years as I fight my demons that come out in the form of anxiety and panic attacks. Birdy often jumps up on my lap, purring loudly as she kneads my belly. Maggie and I have our routines, a good brushing in the morning, and cuddling on the bathmat at bed time.  They both keep me in check.

I write in my book about a friend visiting me in the hospital with two squirming ginger kittens inside her bag, and the transformation that I witnessed amongst my fellow patients as they came over to play.  Of course, it was all against the rules, and we got in trouble, but I had already seen the power of these bundles of joy, seen them work their magic on those around me.

For a typical person, having a pet can do wonders.  Petting a dog or a rabbit, for example, helps lower anxiety levels.  Living with an animal decreases loneliness, and improves self-esteem.  We develop better habits, stay fit (walk that dog!), and maintain a sense of connectedness with others.  And animals give us that unconditional love.

These benefits are all true for your average human, whether adult or child. Animals are great for seniors living in Long Term Care settings, definitely—I’ve seen it firsthand. But, one area where the benefits are undeniable is within the land of mental health.  Like the ginger kittens on the ward showed me, pet therapy is real. It is already being used in many mental health programs, and we are learning more and more about it with many ongoing studies.

As a person who lives daily with voices, I find Birdy and Maggie have a distracting effect on me.  The voices recede a bit as I engage with my two feline friends.  Other symptoms I may have, such as feeling anxiety and panic, are greatly reduced when I hang out with them. 

And animals seem to know!  I have heard so many people say that their pets sought them out when they were in a really bad patch, when they were experiencing suicidal ideation. When you feel like shit, along comes your dog to wag its tail and lick your face, or your cat to settle in your lap, which helps to distract from the negative feelings and emotions you are experiencing.

Many people living with mental health challenges come from unhappy, dysfunctional families, or have had very negative experiences as a child.  Love from a pet can help them feel validated, supplying them with unconditional support and feelings of self-worth.

I am lucky that I have had feline friends throughout my life. I can understand how they have relieved symptoms for me. I have more purpose and feel more connected because of them.  They are also a great topic of conversation! When Birdy and Maggie settle on my bed at night, I sleep more peacefully, and when they greet me in the morning, my day is off to a better start.

Pet therapy should be part of treatment for most people experiencing mental illness.  The research being done is making that more and more obvious.