Confirming what most We Hunted the Mammoth readers have suspected for years, a new study from Indiana University reports that watching cat videos on the internet makes you feel good.
According to a press release from Indiana University about the study:
The Internet phenomenon of watching cat videos, from Lil Bub to Grumpy Cat, does more than simply entertain; it boosts viewers’ energy and positive emotions and decreases negative feelings, according to a new study by an Indiana University Media School researcher.
The research was conducted by assistant professor Princess Meow Meow Fluffybottom the 3rd Jessica Gall Myrick, an expert in “emotions and media.” Princess Fluffybottom Myrick surveyed some 7000 internet users, who reported that
- They were more energetic and felt more positive after watching cat-related online media than before.
- They had fewer negative emotions, such as anxiety, annoyance and sadness, after watching cat-related online media than before.
- They often view Internet cats at work or during studying.
The study found that when I am watching cat videos I am definitely not goofing off.
“Even if they are watching cat videos on YouTube to procrastinate or while they should be working, the emotional pay-off may actually help people take on tough tasks afterward,” Myrick said.
The results also suggest that future work could explore how online cat videos might be used as a form of low-cost pet therapy, she said.
Below, some more LOW COST PET THERAPY y’all!
H/T — Your friendly neighborhood Crip Dyke
I love cat videos! Cats are adorable! I am not surprised at all that cat videos make excellent brain bleach. 😀
In case some of you don’t yet, adopt a cat! Mine has saved my life and taught me so much. She turned 9 years old last February!
Sometimes I just feel bad or get angry at injustice in general, and she always saves the day.
@weirwoodtreehugger
It doesn’t seem like Toni dislikes you. It’s more like she associates you with Dracarys, whom she does dislike.
It depends mostly on Toni’s personality, how possessive and/or jelous (aka territorial) they can be. Some can even be childish, too.
Don’t feel frustrated or bad about it. If Dracarys and Toni somehow get along in the future, then Toni is most likely to stop that behavior. Give them time, a lot of them have trouble with “sharing” space.
I am cat! See? <—- cat. That's me. We are the best that the internet has to offer! So says study that *says* it's not done by cats. But trust me. We were in on it. Cuz I'm a trustworthy cat who totally doesn't knock things off the tables.
Hugs, Fruitloopsie (or best wishes if touchphobic.) I hope everything works out.
weirwoodtreehugger:
Tuna.
I wonder what the human race would be like now if we had had cat videos from the beginning.
WWTH
Colbert announces the announcement
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/17/stephen-colbert-donald-trump-announcement_n_7601158.html
Those are excellent cat names.
Oh dear. My species is screwed, isn’t it?
Thanks for this post – I needed it. My hubby’s in the hospital again for his bipolar and my son’s maternal grandparents tried to take him away because I have no right to HER and how dare I put this “trans nonsense” in HER head and I have no right, ect. And to get away from these people last night, he threatened suicide and ended up in the hospital himself. So yes. Needed cat videos. ALL the cat videos.
Though not as much as I would like my boys back safe and sound. :/
I’ve been seriously thinking of adopting. I need to convince my aunts to let me have a pet (I’m living in a house that’s for sale right now so I don’t call any shots here).
And I promised my daughter we would have a pet only after she tidies her room, but I don’t think she’ll mind 😛
I started therapy last week and my therapist has an incredibly fluffy black cat… he got all the belly rubs till I left. I think having a little furry one at home would be nice.
*sigh*
There is a tiny feral kitten in a crate in my bathroom.
The neighborhood kids found the feral kittens I’ve been feeding. The kids spirited off all but the most fearful, hissy-pants kitten. I’m pretty sure were abandoned by their mom. I couldn’t leave him in the pile of trash he was living in alone.
He’s all pitiful and cute.
Dammit.
The US elected Bush the second twice. So, clearly there is no one so incompetent that can’t be president. I’m dreaming of a Bernie Sanders presidency. That’d be great, but I have no faith in US American voters.
At the risk of being ostracized from this clan, I’m not a big cat video fan. To me, they’re just short of annoying, for the most part.
I know… Blasphemy.
Johanna Roberts,
I’m so sorry. That’s a horror show of a grandmother you got there. I hope everyone is back home and healthy soon.
Lubelitx,
Congratulation on starting therapy.
Jiw Klemmer,
My I recommend red panda or perhaps otter videos?
@Lea
Thanks!
My threrapist turned out to be a feminist and specialized in gendered violence.
Since my mental health service is the one who assignes therpaists, and I had worse luck on other occasions, I am really happy and hopeful this time 🙂
Luzbelitx ,
That is awesome!
Ima go pet a tiny kitty.
My cat Q told me that the study is totes legit, not done by cats. Then she pounced on some string.
Yes, the cat’s name is Q. Her name was Suzy at the shelter, which morphed into Suzy Q, and now just Q – like the Star Trek: TNG character.
@joeklemmer – my cats have held an enclave and decided you are excommunicated (get it, excommuni-cat-ed)
I’ll be here all week!
Hey, does anyone know why cats make that “begging” gesture with their hands? Where they stand up on their two back legs, put their front paws together and move them up and down? Is it learned or do cats do that to each other normally?
Sadly, I suspect teh flip side is true as well. Watching MRA videos makes you susicidal.
Cat anecdote:
This morning one of our cats decided to curl up in the sink and prevent me from brushing my teeth. When attempts to coax her out politely failed, I turned on the water. Not only did she remain in the sink, she started purring louder.
Defeated yet again by my feline superior, I slinked off to the kitchen to brush my teeth instead, where I saw that our other cat (Mr. Bingley) had moved his bed so it was blocking the front door.
It seems clear that their plans for global domination are well under way.
I don’t know why they do it… but in the second video of the ost, the one with cats in a maze of boxes, there’s one kitty doing it for nearly one minute (from 1:20 to 2:20, aprox).
It became strange to watch after a while, like that kitty is really up to something…
I wonder if this holds for videos of other cute animals. Cats, puppies, ducklings, axolotls, anything that shows neoteny
( neoteny as in what it really means, not the fucked up definition MRAs give it)
As far as Trump goes I’m not worried. He will not win. Jebbie Bush might win,
So he does worry me.