PLOS One study: Countries with more cats reported higher levels of happiness

A study published in the journal PLOS One shows that countries with larger cat populations generally reported higher levels of happiness. Researchers analyzed public data from 93 countries, comparing happiness scores with the number of felines, wealth levels and exposure to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

The surprising finding is that countries with more cats generally showed lower exposure to the parasite. Toxoplasma gondii affects up to one in three people, and cats are its primary host. Although the infection is usually harmless, some studies have linked it to anxiety, depression and schizophrenia.

The authors say prosperity could partly explain this association. In wealthier countries, people have more resources to keep pets, take them to the vet and feed them commercial products. Cats are also more often kept indoors, which may reduce the risk of infection.

The researchers emphasize that the study identifies only country-level correlations and does not demonstrate that cats make people happier. Data on pet owners and people without cats could clarify the relationship in future research.