WANT TO BE HAPPIER? APPARENTLY, GET A CAT 🐈

Science may have finally discovered the secret to happiness…

More cats.

A new study looked at 93 countries and found that places with more cats per person also tended to report higher levels of happiness.

Which is fantastic news for anyone currently living with three cats and insisting, “I'm not a crazy cat lady. I'm investing in my mental health.”

Researchers compared cat populations with happiness levels, income, health and other factors.

But there's a catch.

RELATED: Pets May Help Kids’ Mental Health, But One Study Raises Questions About Cats

Cats can carry a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, and countries with higher exposure to that parasite actually reported lower happiness levels.

So apparently the formula is:

Cats = happy.
Cat parasite = not happy.

Researchers believe wealth may also explain some of the connection. Richer countries tend to have more resources for veterinary care and are more likely to have pampered indoor cats, which can reduce exposure to the parasite.

Plus, previous research has found pets can help reduce loneliness and provide companionship.

So cats may genuinely make us happier…

even though they knock glasses off tables, wake us up at 4 a.m. and watch us shower like tiny furry perverts.

The researchers also caution that this doesn't prove cats themselves are causing entire countries to be happier.

But cat owners already know the truth:

You don't own the cat.

You work for the cat. And apparently the benefits package includes happiness