Top 5 Benefits of Being Pet Parents

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Muse Cat Food for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is quite a popular thing now to be pet parents in our society. You can find that people sometimes treat their pets just like they would their own child. They become part of our family. But did you know there are actually scientifically proven studies that show there are health benefits to being pet parents? Who knew!

How Being Pet Parents helps PTSD

Now I’ve talked about Wally a few times here and there. But let me really introduce you. We rescued Wally from an animal shelter in 2011.

The husband had just completed his contract with the US Army and we returned to Idaho so the husband could finish his degree in Engineering.

The husband was suffering from PTSD. And did you know that while there are many counselors in the Army, not many of them are actually trained to treat PTSD? It’s actually quite a shocking discovery!

So there we were, the husband battling PTSD and no one was fully equipped to help. But in our research we discovered that they found that having a cat dramatically reduced the anxiety of PTSD and helped them cope.

So it didn’t take long before we were picking out Wally at the shelter. Soon after he was home with us working his way into the hearts of everyone in the home.

And since that day long ago, he has been the husband’s dear little MUSE. He calms his anxiety. He is a source of relaxation.

He greets the husband every day with a soft MEOW. And a longing to just cuddle without judging or expectations (beyond the usual “give me undivided attention while I purr in your lap”).

They have a special bond. And are known to play quite the fun games like “Pat Daddy in the face” that gets everyone laughing.

Each night you can find them cuddled together on the couch as we unwind from the long day.

Wally definitely has his own personality. And quite frankly he doesn’t really like anyone else in our house except the husband. He truly could be Grumpy Cat’s Cousin with the attitude this cat gives me.

But everyday he is like putty in the husband’s arms. They play games and while I’m taking care of our new baby, the husband has his arms full of his own “baby” kitty.

Benefits of Pet Parents

But more than that, being pet parents have many benefits such as

1. A Healthier Heart – petting a cat calms anxiety. Lower anxiety lowers risk of  heart attack.
2. Empathy- people who have cats tend to be more aware of others feelings and feel more empathy
3. Lower blood Pressure. Studies show that when a cat curls in your laps and purrs, those who experience this regularly tend to have lower blood pressure.
4. Boosts Immunity –  exposure to cat dander actually increases resistance to allergens, decreasing risk for allergies and asthma.
5. Reduced anxiety and stress. Simply owning a cat and experiencing it’s love and affection has shown to lower anxiety and stress versus those who do not own a cat.

Pet Parents giving the best

Because of this special relationship, we take extra attention when it comes to caring for Wally and his diet. See Wally has a sensitive stomach so we can only offer him Grain- Free cat food. Which is one reason why we are so excited about the new Muse Cat Food from Purina!

Muse® Natural Recipes is a natural cat food that offers essential nutrients that cats need. All recipes are made with real fish or poultry with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. And all flavors are grain-free, no corn, no soy and 100% complete and balanced.

And no need to worry about a bored kitty when it comes to dinner time. Muse® Natural Recipes offers both wet and dry cat foods in a variety of flavors to keep your kitty happy.

In fact they are all backed by Muses’ Clean Plate™ Guarantee. Meaning If you try the Muse® Natural Recipes and your cat doesn’t like it, they will refund your purchase! No more getting caught with a bag of uneaten cat food because of a picky kitty. But trust me, your cat will love it!

The dry cat food comes in Chicken and Salmon flavors. The wet cat food comes In Chowder, In Broth, With Toppers, In Gravy and Paté in a variety of fish or poultry flavors.

The best part is that you can easily pick up Muse at Petco!

When it comes to the pets that complete our family and offer so many benefits, why not be picky about what you feed them? You want to give them as many health benefits as they give to you!

How does being pet parents benefit your family?