Beautiful Jazmine in all her peach fuzz glory.

The Pantone Color Institute named its 2024 color of the year, PANTONE 13-1023 “Peach Fuzz,” declaring our need for compassion and human connection in the year ahead. It’s a velvety and soothing tone meant to represent “our desire to nurture ourselves and others” and “whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.” For Jazmine, our feline diva cloaked in luxurious peachy, fuzzy fur, the announcement was met with some dismay, because to her, every year should be the year of Peach Fuzz. Truth is, she has a valid point. The correlation between the power of peach fuzz and feline fur to enrich one’s mind, body, and soul is a strong one indeed, and one that should not be overlooked.

Scientists agree, too. According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), there’s research that supports the human-animal connection between people and pets for a happier, healthier life. We already know the smiles, laughter, love, and joy our cat companions bring into our lives without science telling us so, but having science back it up is the catnip icing on the cake. And, despite what Jazmine might think, ALL cats, regardless of sex, size, breed, or color, are good for one’s health and well-being. Here’s the top 5 reasons why:

Cats Reduce Stress. Stress has become an everyday part of life for many of us and cats can improve our blood pressure, reduce the possibility of heart attack, and boost our immune system. The simple act of petting a cat, or cuddling up on the couch (or bed, a chair, or more) with a warm, purring cat on your lap, for example, according to HABRI, triggers the release of hormones in humans such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. These releases are associated with good, positive feelings and play a significant role in enhancing the feline human bond. Add to that, in 2009, a decades-long study published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology demonstrated that cat owners were less likely to die from heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, and stroke when compared to people who did not own cats.

Cats Reduce Loneliness & Isolation. In a world where many of us work remotely, or where we can have everything from meals to medication delivered to our door without ever needing to leave our dwelling, social isolation is a real thing. Cats provide an outlet to forge a meaningful relationship with another being. They provide a reason to get up and out of bed, and a sense of purpose, requiring someone to care for them. Let’s face it. Everyone likes to feel needed, and having a warm and furry being that is eagerly awaiting your company, not just for food, but because they want to share the day with you can make life a lot less lonely.

Cats Provide Mental Health Support. Cats with their unique and quirky personalities can be a healthy mechanism to help people cope with depression and other short or long-term mental health issues. The calming presence of a cat can provide a sense of stability and comfort. Cats can also provide laughs and smiles with their silly antics, which can be a welcome diversion to help alleviate negative emotions and symptoms.

Cats Encourage Exercise and Mobility. While it is true that cats do love an all-day nap, that’s not to say they don’t want or need exercise. They do. By encouraging interactive play with your feline friend daily, such as with a feather wand toy, not only is the cat getting exercise, but so is their caretaker. Changing and scooping litter, feeding, grooming – all these activities require mobility on the part of the human, which is good for getting the heart pumping and the blood flowing.

The Power of the Healing Purr. According to US Service Animals, the nation’s largest Support Animal registry, it’s not a coincidence when your cat comes to you to offer some serious cuddling time, extra purrs or makes biscuits on your belly when you need them most. Whether you’re in bed recovering from a cold, recuperating from an injury, or battling a bad day, they say some studies suggest cats come to our side because their human’s depression or sad moods stress them out, and they want to elevate these moods, whereas other experts suspect our cats enjoy the attention we are prone to giving them during times of depression when we need support. Regardless, there is no doubt for the person in need, that they appreciate the furry love and company.

Most notably, the perks of having a feline companion benefit anyone of any age. From childhood to senior, the mind, body, and soul can all thrive with the presence of a cat in the mix. Rain or shine, with cats, you always have a friend. A friend who doesn’t care if you don’t comb your hair or if you wear sweatpants all day long. A being who doesn’t judge you by your skin color or how much you weigh. Or if you have a college degree or whether you live in a palace or a box. You can be straight, gay, male, female, young, old, black, white, short, tall – none of it matters. All they want is your love and care. You give them that, and they will return it a thousand times over, which in turn is good for you.

Me and my favorite peach fuzz, Jazmine. We adopted her in 2014 and she’s brought love and joy into our lives every day since.

We hope 2024 will heed its color loud and clear with a peachy year, filled with compassion and kindness. And cat adoption is part of that equation, too. Millions of cats and kittens in rescues and shelters across this country need a good home and by adopting one of them  (or more), not only are you enriching your life as science has proven,  but you are saving and enriching a cat’s life as well. Peachy keen, indeed!