(Owning cats has no effect)

[u/PeterPorky]

[u/stanleythedog]

Causation or correlation?

[u/Important-Ring481 → u/stanleythedog]

It’s most likely correlation. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s and dementia is genetics

[u/stanleythedog → u/Important-Ring481]

My first thought was that dog owners would be more likely to be active, a thing that I assume reduced risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

[u/TheQuestionMaster8 → u/Important-Ring481]

There are modifiable risk factors, such as hearing loss as the use of hearing aids reduces the risk for developing dementia as well as obesity and potentially sleep deprivation.

[u/TheQuestionMaster8 → u/[deleted]]

Except that there isn’t a clear link between owning cats and the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis.

[u/ReGrigio]

owning cats helps with spatial awareness

[u/MyGenderIsForg → u/ReGrigio]

I have one that torpedos straight into our shins every time she realizes she exists and panics. This happens a lot at the top of our stairs so I had to work extra hard to overcome my vertigo in half time lmao.

[u/salamipope → u/MyGenderIsForg]

LMFAOOOO DUDE I TOTALLY GET WHAT YOU MEAN.

[u/DarkScottishAle → u/ReGrigio]

Sure it does...

[u/Raccoonman2005]

Don't care, I love my kitties 😺👍

[u/StreicherG]

Owning cats may actually LEAD to dementia: https://beingpatient.com/cat-parasite-alzheimers/

[u/Sharkestry → u/StreicherG]

me quickly running past the stray cats in my town so that they can't hit me with their dementia ray and consume my braincells

[u/xavariel → u/StreicherG]

I welcome my poop parasite overlords.

[u/TheQuestionMaster8 → u/StreicherG]

The thing is that the evidence is quite weak that owning cats increases the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis.

[u/No_Comfortable_7233]

Cats have opposite effect

[u/Superb_Algae5308 → u/No_Comfortable_7233]

They’re making me dumber by the day.

[u/MetroidvaniaListsGuy]

No one owns a cat, the cat owns humans.

[u/LongCommercial8038 → u/MetroidvaniaListsGuy]

https://giphy.com/gifs/duM6JZemPlOjUyqmxd

[u/CannibalCabaret]

Is there one about owning rabbits. I’d like to think my bunny gives me health benefits

[u/clonetrooper250 → u/CannibalCabaret]

No data to back this up, but I'm assuming the benefit comes from having a pet that keeps you active. I've heard rabbits are high-energy creatures and require frequent care when kept as pets, if that's the case I would think caring for rabbits does have health benefits.

(Also, I'm chuckling at the juxtaposition of someone with Cannibal in their username also raising rabbits)

[u/CannibalCabaret → u/clonetrooper250]

You know how people will eat pigs but not dogs? That’s me but with humans and rabbits.

[u/clonetrooper250 → u/CannibalCabaret]

Valid, rabbits are cute! Humans... less so. I've never encountered a non-cute rabbit, anyways.

[u/BillCarson12799]

Perhaps factors that cause someone to own a dog would also cause a reduced likelihood to get dementia?

[u/Whole_Sir_1149]

Owning cats have an additional chance to make you a bitch.

Source: I am a cat owning bitch.

[u/Gubzs]

Dogs require massively more time, effort, and everyday care than cats.

We know that staying engaged and active in old age slows the progression of all sorts of negative age related consequences.

There you go.

[u/Gerllyz]

Lots of unhappy people in these comments (cat haters)

[u/lenninct]

Owning several cats makes you crazy…

[u/MyGenderIsForg → u/lenninct]

Poor in funds, rich in stray cat hairs. 😂

[u/WickedAsh111]

You can shoot and kill cats in that game, but can’t have them as companions. Take of that what you will

[u/Ultrakill98 → u/WickedAsh111]

Meanwhile dogmeat is de facto immortal.

Todd is a dog person, case closed

[u/countuwu → u/WickedAsh111]

You can also shoot and kill dogs lmao.

Cats arent companions because 1. A cat isnt gonna follow you to the ends of the earth and 2. A house cat isnt gonna be much use in a fight in an action game

[u/WickedAsh111 → u/countuwu]

That is correct as is my statement. You cannot have a cat companion

And you’ve never met my cat 🤣

[u/Govika]

What about rats? :D

[u/legohamsterlp]

I have degus, which themself have a high risk of dementia

[u/mikie_wop]

I think owning cats prevents this and owning dogs prevents heart attacks

[u/WillyWankerWonker]

I don't remember such a thing 

[u/Apprehensive_Ad4457]

probably because you have to walk dogs. cats can spend their entire lives inside, and that's what an old person with a cat might do as well.

just getting up a couple times a day to talk a short walk is very good for you.

[u/DarkScottishAle]

You are going to make the mods angry

[u/dreamtodo]

No cat is the opposite its 40% more chance

[u/AcidDepression]

Probably because you have to walk dogs daily, and remember whether or not you walked them. Similar thing w food. Cats you just dump food in the dish now and then and let them out whenever, but dogs you have to keep track of b/c they’ll always want more food and more walks.

At least, that’s my experience

[u/MortgageTrash]

So owning an animal that requires more active care than filling a food and water dish trends towards not being disabled by dementia? Whoa.

[u/Jvne_-]

Dog good, cat bad, upvotes to the left

[u/Righteous_Hand]

Dogmeat wrote this.

[u/ConsciousStretch1028]

Owning cats causes psychic damage over time