Turns out, some furry friends \u2014 and even scaly or slimy ones too \u2014 help kids\u2019 mental health as well. With one key exception.<\/p>\n
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Dogs and cats are the two most popular pets in the world.<\/p>\n
Researchers of a recent study<\/a> found that owning a cat, specifically when the child was 4-5 years old, increased risk of mental health problems at age 7-8.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what they think may be the reason why.<\/p>\n What researchers found<\/p>\n Researchers looked at data from almost 2,000 mother-child pairs across Spain in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n Moms had answered behavioral questions about her kid at age 7-8, including emotions like fear, worry, nervousness, and conduct problems like disobedience, hyperactivity, and bullying or having few friends.<\/p>\n They split these problems into two categories: internalizing, which encompassed emotional and peer problems, and externalizing, which included conduct problems and hyperactivity\/inattention.<\/p>\n What researchers found was that having a cat at age 4-5 increased risk of both: internal problems, which are associated with depression and anxiety, and external, which could lead to problems working and dealing with others later in life. This was not true of kids who had a cat at age 1.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, kids who had less common pets \u2014 including rabbits, hamsters, fish, turtles and salamanders \u2014 at both age 1 and age 4\u20135, had fewer internalizing problems at age 7\u20138.<\/p>\n In other words, kids with these less common animals early in life were less likely to develop both internalized and externalized issues.<\/p>\n What about dogs and birds? Researchers didn\u2019t find that these pets significantly affected kids\u2019 mental health either way.<\/p>\n Theories on why cats may be different from other pets<\/p>\n Kids need emotional bonds to grow into healthy adults. They need it for their brain<\/a> to develop properly, for self-confidence, and to form relationships.<\/p>\n The authors say that they\u2019re not only learning this from the humans in their house \u2014 they form these bonds with pets too. Kids can reduce stress by feeling supported and loved by the family pet and build their confidence by caring for their pet.<\/p>\n Researchers\u00a0say cats can be \u201cless affectionate, exhibit avoidant attachment, and are often chosen by families with children who have mental health conditions, due to their lower maintenance needs.\u201d<\/p>\n That last possibility is important: The study doesn\u2019t show cats caused the behavioral problems, and the problems could\u2019ve existed before cats came into the house.<\/p>\n They also note that it\u2019s possible the effects are simply not apparent yet at ages 7-8, since psychological traits pets may influence continue developing into adolescence.<\/p>\n Before you rule out getting a feline of your own, it\u2019s important to note that other studies have painted a much more favorable picture of how cats impact kids\u2019 mental health.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/happy-little-girl-guinea-pig-140815497.jpg\")
Less common pets (other than dogs, cats, and birds) like guinea pigs showed a protective effect for mental health problems. New Africa \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n