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

Thinking about getting the kids a pet? A new study suggests some animals may be better for their mental health than others.

And cat people aren't going to love this one.

Researchers looked at nearly 2,000 families in Spain, comparing the pets children had when they were young with behavioural and emotional issues reported when the kids were seven or eight.

They found children who had a cat around age four or five were more likely to later show emotional or behavioural difficulties, including anxiety, problems with peers, hyperactivity and conduct issues.

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But before we start blaming Mr. Whiskers for everything, there's a BIG catch:

Researchers did NOT prove that cats caused these problems.

It's possible families with children already experiencing behavioural or emotional challenges were simply more likely to choose cats because they're generally considered lower-maintenance pets.

Interestingly, some of the biggest benefits were associated with smaller and less common pets, including rabbits, hamsters, fish, turtles and even salamanders.

Kids who grew up with those animals showed fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties later on.

As for dogs and birds, researchers didn't find a significant positive or negative effect.

And this is only one study. Other research has found plenty of benefits to children growing up with cats and other pets. So you don't need to cancel your plans to adopt a kitten.

Although if your teenager doesn't clean their room, talks back and leaves dishes everywhere…

apparently the cat finally has someone else to blame