Do pets really reduce stress? A new study has found they don’t

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA study has found that interacting with a dog or cat in stressful moments actually doesn’t reduce stress symptoms (Getty/iStock)A new study indicates that interacting more intensely with a pet dog or cat during stressful moments may not alleviate stress and could, in some cases, intensify negative feelings. Researchers found that while general interactions with pets are linked to more positive emotions, they do not lower stress at the exact moment it occurs. For cat owners, a higher level of interaction was associated with a stronger link between stress and negative emotions, a phenomenon researchers speculate might be due to the more passive nature of cat interactions. The study, which analysed almost 8,000 real-time data reports from 188 dog and cat owners, suggests that stress-buffering is not the mechanism causing momentary emotional well-being when interacting with a pet. The emotional benefits of pet interaction appear to stem from a sense of companionship and feeling less alone, rather than directly helping people handle stress better at the moment it arises. In fullNew study challenges view that pets help us deal with stressThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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