This Cat Helped Its Owner Overcome Anxiety

Molly is a young woman who has decided to adopt an earless cat. However, little did she know that this feline would do more for her than anyone else. That the kitten would help her with the anxiety she suffers from. 

Because he didn’t have ears and because he was so peculiar,  this cat didn’t have many opportunities to go to a home that would accept him again. Therefore, he spent his days depressed, due to constant rejections from people who watched him at the shelter. They looked at him but preferred to adopt another pet.

Molly’s apparition

But everything comes to an end, and one day student Molly Lichtenwalner appeared. She saw him and knew they were made for each other. And the anxiety he suffered was about to improve.

Molly nicknamed him “Otite”, a very significant name. Since the animal is a nine and a half year old white kitten, he lost his ears due to some cysts that, unfortunately, caused him to lose his hearing.

Its previous owners had left the kitten at that shelter because they didn’t know how to care for an animal under these circumstances.

molly needs help

In Molly’s own words: “I suffer from severe anxiety due to a car accident I suffered…I decided it was time to adopt an animal that would help me heal,  as hugging a furry friend helps a lot”.

The cat “Otite” is able to know when she is very stressed due to anxiety. Or even when he’s having a panic attack, so he can help her.

About this help, Molly has said: “Sometimes he’s the only one who can calm me down… Adopting him was the best thing I did. It was definitely he who rescued me, not me him.”

Lack of ears is no problem

As for the cat’s outward appearance, her appearance was never an issue for Molly. Despite his lack of ears and his grumpy face, she considers him a very affectionate and playful cat.

The young woman thinks that the best thing she has done so far was to rescue this cat. She has never felt so much emotional support from any being as she receives from this feline.

The benefits of cats

Regarding the psychological aspect,  cats offer a great help for children, the elderly and anyone else. 

Through their usual purring, they produce a relaxing and calming effect on human beings  . In the field of Medicine, excellent results have already emerged. Advances in the treatment of cardiac, psychological or hypertension diseases are known. Also, it is a good medicine against anxiety.

In general, it has been  shown that people who live with pets live longer and have a better quality of life than those who do not have pets. 

Thus, several studies have shown that the presence of a cat or dog in a home is good for the health of their owners. An affective relationship, usually very harmonious, is generated between the human being and the animal, converting your pet into a friend and a confidant.

the return of the smile

Some research has shown that  animals smile back to a depressed person,  reduce anxiety, and encourage the social character of someone who is shy.

Furthermore, it helps to control those who suffer from nerve impulses. Kittens also help lower blood pressure in hypertensive people and make stressed people relax.

self-esteem

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Another important benefit these animals offer us is the ability to accept ourselves. Their love is always unconditional and they make no distinction between those who are shorter and taller, ugly and handsome, or between rich and poor.

A well-known study, recently published in the American Journal of Cardiology, found that  cat owners were significantly less likely to die within a year  of a heart attack than those who didn’t have one.

The study found that  stroking a cat or listening to its purr supposedly causes vasodilation of peripheral arteries  and vessels, which favors relaxation.

Other Psychological Benefits for Children

The care that children have for cats, and for animals in general, can help them to mature, to grow, to realize the values ​​that are really important to life,  and to acquire a sense of duty.

Therefore, feeding a kitten, preparing its food or respecting its schedules stimulates interest in its own food.

But there’s more. Keeping in mind  the animal’s schedule and needs on a daily basis is also a good exercise for the memory and concentration of the little ones. 

For the elderly, having a kitten is considered a natural antidepressant. In many cases, retirement can leave some people with an emptiness that is added to a feeling of no longer being useful to society.

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