Crazy cat ladies rejoice!

What’s with the recent cat craze? Are we finally exceeding the dog people? Actually, yes. There are 96 million household cats in America and 83 million dogs.

Has the internet increased our love for these small, cute and fuzzy creatures?

“Cute kittens,” “Cute cat videos,” “Funny cat videos” Are only some of the very popular cat-related Google searches that many of us are guilty of. In recent years, it’s been more acceptable to show love towards our feline counterparts.

So what’s the deal?

“Crazy cat lady” was once used as a derogatory term, but not so much anymore. More and more of our peers are labeling themselves as “crazy cat ladies”.

Some people think of cats and shudder. Many times they are allergic or they have experienced a mean cat.

Chances are “mean cats” feel threatened, are afraid or in pain. With their brains being more complex than a dog’s, they are very affectionate and receiving of love, and respond to how we treat them.

There are many famous cats:

Cheshire cat – 1865

Felix - 1919

Sylvester - 1945

Garfield – 1978

And most recently:

Lil Bub - 2011

Grumpy cat - 2012

Why have cats become so popular?

Because they’re funny! They’re goofy and clumsy and cute. They help us show compassion. Caring for them reduces anxiety, depression and stress, which makes us happy. Playing with cats, listening to them purr and petting them elevates our serotonin and dopamine levels, which calms the body. Owning a cat lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 40% of cat owners are less likely than dog owners to have a heart attack or stroke.

How can we take better care of our furry friends?

Don’t be mean or cruel to them – they deserve your love, care and trust.

Select a veterinarian for your cat and visit them regularly. Have them spayed or neutered, even if you only intend for them to stay indoors. Get them microchipped – if they run away or get lost, a veterinarian or shelter can scan their microchip to find you. Research about the effects of getting your cat declawed – it is similar to cutting a human’s fingers off to the knuckle! Ouch!

Unless you are trained, do not cut their nails at home. Bring them to a veterinarian. Cutting too close to their skin and through the quick is very common, and results in the cat feeling pain and bleeding.

Cats who live indoors live longer than those we let outside, because of their high risk of fatality in the wild. However, cats who breathe in secondhand smoke doubles their chance of lymphoma.

Some thought on feline nutrition is important. Too much milk, tuna fish and treats can have negative effects for cats.

If you can’t take care of them, don’t bring them home! So many cats are brought home as new pets, but let free when caring for them becomes too expensive.

Give them their “chill” time – Cats sleep from 12-20 hours a day.

How else can we help?

Support no kill shelters. It takes a lot to keep these up and running, and many of them are run by volunteers. Visit a shelter, offer to help once a week, or bring donations of food, blankets, etc.

Avoid getting a cat from pet stores or over the internet. Go to an animal shelter / rescue or licensed breeder to find your fur-ever friend!

Hug a cat today, my fellow ailurophilia (cat lover)