From the WebMD Archives
Aug. 22, 2019 — So much for the crazy cat lady stereotype.
A new study says that people who have lots of cats aren’t more likely to be anxious, depressed or lonely, CNN reported.
The finding is from University of California, Los Angeles researchers who assessed the mental health of more than 500 pet owners.
“We found no evidence to support the ‘cat lady’ stereotype: cat-owners did not differ from others on self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety or their experiences in close relationships,” they wrote.
“Our findings, therefore, do not fit with the notion of cat-owners as more depressed, anxious or alone.”
The research was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
The study isn’t the first to debunk that cat lady cliche. One 2017 study by researchers at University College London, U.K. found no link between cat ownership and psychotic symptoms, CNN reported.
