Scary Cute Cat #short

When people say they love cats, that love can be intense. For many, a feline friend is a singularly trustworthy confidant and a comforting presence in times of loneliness.

Are such close relationships, however, healthy on a psychological or physical level?

Geneticists, infectious disease experts, psychologists, and others have put forward several theories as to why cats resonate so strongly with some people, and what effect felines may have on their humans’ health.