STUDY LINKS CAT OWNERSHIP LEVELS TO NATIONAL HAPPINESS

Researchers have identified a link between cat ownership levels and national happiness scores, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One. An international team of scientists analysed publicly available data from 93 countries, comparing happiness scores against domestic cat density and infection rates of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The study found that countries with more cats tended to report higher levels of happiness, the study's authors said in a press release. Countries with higher exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, by contrast, tended to report lower happiness levels, according to the same analysis. The researchers set out to establish whether cat ownership made a difference to happiness and whether the risk of parasite infection played any part in that relationship.

Toxoplasma gondii affects an estimated one in three people worldwide, and domestic cats are its primary host, the study noted. The parasite is usually symptomless, the researchers said, though it has been linked to anxiety, depression and schizophrenia in more vulnerable groups. National wealth was also included in the analysis, since it is often regarded as a key factor in a comfortable life. The study pointed to China as an example of a country with a relatively high happiness score and a lower cat density than most other nations. One unexpected finding was that countries with more cats tended to record lower Toxoplasma gondii exposure, even though cats are recognised as a source of the infection.

The study's authors cautioned that the results represent associations observed at country level, not evidence that cat ownership causes happiness or that Toxoplasma gondii causes lower wellbeing. They said in the press release that the patterns identified are "interesting enough to deserve further investigation." The researchers also suggested that wealthier countries may have higher rates of cat ownership alongside better access to veterinary care, which could help account for some of the findings. They noted that cats in wealthier nations are more likely to be kept indoors, receive regular veterinary check-ups and be fed commercial cat food.