Your Cat Might Not Be the Stress Therapist You Thought It Was

For years, pet owners have proudly claimed that spending time with their furry friends is the perfect cure for a stressful day.

And while your dog or cat may still deserve a spot on your couch, new research suggests they might not be the emotional superheroes we've made them out to be.

Researchers followed nearly 200 dog and cat owners and collected close to 8,000 real-time reports about their moods, stress levels, and interactions with their pets.

The findings? Spending time with either a dog or a cat did make people feel happier in the moment. Whether it was a belly rub, a game of fetch, or a cat deciding your laptop is now its bed, both pets delivered a nice emotional boost.

But when life got genuinely stressful, the results were a little surprising.

Researchers found that neither dogs nor cats significantly reduced the emotional impact of stressful situations.

In other words, your pet might make you smile, but it won't necessarily stop your boss's email from ruining your afternoon.

RELATED: The Questions We'd All Ask Our Pets If They Could Talk

And cat owners may not love this part. During upsetting moments, playing with a cat was actually linked to stronger negative emotions.

To be fair, anyone who's tried to cuddle a cat that wasn't in the mood probably isn't shocked by that finding.

The good news is that pets are still great companions and can improve overall well-being. They just may not be the four-legged stress-fighting machines we've imagined.

So yes, your pet can make you happier. They just can't pay your bills, answer your emails, or explain why you're crying in the grocery store parking lot.