Effects of Interactions with Cats in Domestic Environment on the Psychological and Physiological State of Their Owners: Associations among Cortisol, Oxytocin, Heart Rate Variability, and Emotions.

Interactions with animals, including cats, is believed to influence human health. However, studies that investigate the psychological and physiological effects of interacting with cats in their household environment are limited. In this remote study, 32 cat owners in Japan participated from June to October 2021. They completed two tasks, each on separate days in their homes: one simulating daily cat communication (Interaction condition) and another with no interactions (Rest condition). We quantified emotions (arousal level and pleasure level) before and after each condition using the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale Short-term as well as salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels of owners using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Autonomic nervous activity (sympathetic and parasympathetic) was also quantified by heart rate variability analysis. The free interaction with cats decreased emotional arousal and parasympathetic activity, and lead to increased heart rates in owners. There was a positive correlation between heart rate and cortisol concentration, and between cortisol and oxytocin concentration. Furthermore, the frequency of petting the cats was negatively correlated with the rate of change in the parasympathetic activity. In contrast, the parasympathetic nerves in the owners were activated under the Rest condition. Hence, the mechanism of health-enhancing effects of cat ownership includes an arousing effect, in contrast to the previously proposed stress-reduction effect. This result can aid in future developments in cat-human relationship studies. However, a detailed study with a larger sample size is needed to draw definite conclusions.

Physiological Assessment of the Health and Welfare of Domestic Cats-An Exploration of Factors Affecting Urinary Cortisol and Oxytocin.

Physiological samples are beneficial in assessing the health and welfare of cats. However, most studies have been conducted in specialized environments, such as shelters or laboratories, and have not focused on cats living in domestic settings. In addition, most studies have assessed physiological stress states in cats based on cortisol, and none have quantified positive indicators, such as oxytocin. Here, we collected urine samples from 49 domestic cats and quantified urinary cortisol, oxytocin, and creatinine using ELISA. To identify factors influencing hormone levels, owners responded to questionnaires regarding their housing environment, individual cat information, and the frequency of daily interactions with their cats. Using principal component analysis, principal component scores for daily interactions were extracted. These results showed that the frequency of tactile and auditory signal-based communication by owners was positively correlated with the mean concentration of oxytocin in the urine. Additionally, this communication was more frequent in younger cats or cats that had experienced a shorter length of cohabitation with the owner. However, no factors associated with urinary cortisol concentration were identified. Our study indicates that interactions and relationships with the owner influence the physiological status of cats and suggests that oxytocin is a valuable parameter for assessing their health and welfare.

The Urinary Hormonal State of Cats Associated With Social Interaction With Humans.

Research to assess the relationship between cats and humans is in a nascent stage. Some studies have assessed the stress status in cats using physiological indicators, such as the cortisol hormone, but have not focused on the social interaction with humans. Moreover, the role of oxytocin secretion in the relationship between cats and humans remains unclear. In this study, we determined the possibility of quantifying the urinary concentration of oxytocin in cats and assessed the effects of social contact with humans on the levels of urinary oxytocin and cortisol metabolite. Four cats were subjected to two conditions, namely, social (control), and non-social (no social contact with humans) conditions. The levels of cortisol and oxytocin metabolite in urine samples from the cats in both conditions were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The urinary concentrations of cortisol and oxytocin under the non-social condition were significantly higher than those under the social condition. In addition, the concentration of oxytocin significantly correlated with that of cortisol in cats under the non-social condition. In this study, it was possible to quantify the concentration of oxytocin in the urine of cats, and the obtained results suggest that cats recognize the social interaction with humans as important. This information might contribute to the establishment of an assessment method for the welfare of cats and might help in clarifying the relationship between cats and humans.

Effects of the characteristic temperament of cats on the emotions and hemodynamic responses of humans.

Cats positive effects on their owners' physiological and psychological health, including improved mood and activation of the human prefrontal cortex and inferior frontal gyrus in the brain. However, the association between the health benefits provided by cat ownership and the characteristic behaviors and reactions of cats is unclear. We recruited 29 participants to measure human prefrontal cortex activity, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, during interactions with a cat. After the experiments, participants subjectively responded to a questionnaire regarding success rates for interactions with the cat, and completed the Self-assessment Manikin-a scale used to measure emotion. Interactions comprised eight types in four categories (touch, play, train, and feed). This study showed that interactions with a cat significantly activated the prefrontal cortex, regardless of interaction type. During training, the integral values of oxygenated hemoglobin in the left inferior frontal gyrus were the highest in all the interaction categories; however, success rates were lower than in the touch and feed interactions. Regarding the Self-assessment Manikin scores, all interaction categories showed a positive correlation between success rate and valence score, especially in the train and play interactions than in the touch and feed interactions. These results indicate that interactions with a cat activate the prefrontal cortex in humans, including the inferior frontal gyrus region. Moreover, cats' autonomous behaviors and reactions positively influenced the participants. The characteristic temperament of cats may be a key factor influencing the health benefits of owning cats.

A possible mechanism of horseback riding on dynamic trunk alignment.

The study aimed to clarify the regularity of the motions of horse's back, rider's pelvis and spine associated with improvement of rider's dynamic trunk alignment. The study used a crossover design, with exercise using the horseback riding simulator (simulator hereafter) as the control condition. The experiments were conducted at Tokyo University of Agriculture Bio-therapy Center. The sample consisted of 20 healthy volunteers age 20-23 years. Participants performed 15-min sessions of horseback riding with a Hokkaido Pony and exercise using the simulator in experiments separated by ≥2 weeks. Surface electromyography (EMG) after horseback riding revealed decreased activity in the erector spinae. Exploratory data analysis of acceleration and angular velocity inferred associations between acceleration (Rider's neck/longitudinal axis [Y hereafter]) and angular velocity (Horse saddle/Y) as well as angular velocity (Rider's pelvis/Y) and angular velocity (Horse saddle/Y). Acceleration (Rider's neck/Y) tended to be associated with angular velocity (Rider's pelvis/Y). Surface EMG following exercise revealed decreased activity in the rectus abdominis and erector spinae after the simulator exercise. Horseback riding improved the rider's dynamic trunk alignment with a clear underlying mechanism, which was not observed with the simulator.

Horseback Riding Improves the Ability to Cause the Appropriate Action (Go Reaction) and the Appropriate Self-control (No-Go Reaction) in Children.

BACKGROUND: There are many obvious health benefits to riding, including developing a strong core and legs, but there are also many less obvious benefits, such as increased confidence and introspection. Few studies have addressed the effects of horseback riding on children and the mechanisms underlying how riding affects humans. We examined the effects of horseback riding on the ability to distinguish Go/No-go tasks and solve arithmetic problems in children. METHODS: The subjects were 34 boys and 72 girls, aged 10-12 years old, which were divided into three groups (horse riding, walking, and resting). They were healthy typical children, who performed the Go/No-go tasks and solved the arithmetic problems. The heart rate and heart rate variability of the children, and the three-dimensional acceleration of the children while walking horses, were examined. RESULTS: Riding on a half-breed horse or a pony improved the ability to perform Go/No-go tasks and solve arithmetic problems, possibly through sympathetic activity. Some horses, like the Kiso, might provide a healing effect to children through parasympathetic activity. Statistically significant differences in the three-dimensional acceleration and the autonomic activities were observed among the three horses. The acceleration in the Kiso horse group during walking in hand was significantly different from those involving the other two horses, indicating that the vibrations produced by these horses might modify the autonomic activities. CONCLUSION: The most important beneficial factor of horseback riding for children and for human health appears to be associated with the horse's vibrations, which may differ among horses. Riding some horses may improve the ability of children to respond with an appropriate action depending on the situation (Go reaction) or use self-control appropriately (No-go reaction), possibly through the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Increased Feeding Speed Is Associated with Higher Subsequent Sympathetic Activity in Dogs.

Although the domestication process has altered the feeding behavior of dogs, some breeds still demonstrate a remarkable ability to gorge, and will eat exceptionally large quantities of food whenever it is available. Lesions in the ventromedial hypothalamus increase appetite and lead to obesity, suggesting that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in feeding. Focusing on the autonomic activities closely involved in food intake, we investigated sympathetic activities before and after feeding in dogs. The subjects were 56 healthy dogs of 21 different breeds (29 males and 27 females). Based on feeding habits, the 56 dogs were divided into three groups: Fast (n = 19), Slow (n = 24) and Leftover (n = 13). The feeding speed and the amount of food per mouthful of the Fast dogs were significantly greater than those of the Slow and the Leftover dogs. The plasma norepinephrine level in dogs of the Fast group was significantly increased after feeding, while those in the Slow and Leftover groups were significantly decreased after feeding, compared with the pre-feeding concentrations. The low frequency/high frequency ratio of heart rate variability is a good indicator of sympathetic activity and was also significantly higher in the Fast group than in the other groups. Delayed feeding using automatic feeding equipment decreased the plasma norepinephrine concentration and low frequency/high frequency ratio observed after feeding in dogs of the Fast group. In conclusion, dogs eating rapidly with less chewing, which indicates increased sympathetic activity during feeding, may benefit from delayed feeding. The slow eating may activate the parasympathetic nervous system after feeding, which could enhance the activity of the digestive system.

Unusual Animal Behavior Preceding the 2011 Earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku, Japan: A Way to Predict the Approach of Large Earthquakes.

Unusual animal behaviors (UABs) have been observed before large earthquakes (EQs), however, their mechanisms are unclear. While information on UABs has been gathered after many EQs, few studies have focused on the ratio of emerged UABs or specific behaviors prior to EQs. On 11 March 2011, an EQ (Mw 9.0) occurred in Japan, which took about twenty thousand lives together with missing and killed persons. We surveyed UABs of pets preceding this EQ using a questionnaire. Additionally, we explored whether dairy cow milk yields varied before this EQ in particular locations. In the results, 236 of 1,259 dog owners and 115 of 703 cat owners observed UABs in their pets, with restless behavior being the most prominent change in both species. Most UABs occurred within one day of the EQ. The UABs showed a precursory relationship with epicentral distance. Interestingly, cow milk yields in a milking facility within 340 km of the epicenter decreased significantly about one week before the EQ. However, cows in facilities farther away showed no significant decreases. Since both the pets' behavior and the dairy cows' milk yields were affected prior to the EQ, with careful observation they could contribute to EQ predictions.

The feeding behavior of dogs correlates with their responses to commands.

Motivation is one of the most important factors in dog training. To generate motivation, people use various reinforcer mechanisms. In particular, many pet owners use food because it is simple and convenient. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dogs' level of interest in food and their responsiveness to commands. Thirty-four dogs were divided into three groups based on their feeding patterns (Fast, Slow, and Leftover). The fast group (n=15) had the highest interest in food and showed a high response to commands when food was used as a reinforcer, rather than praise/stroking. The leftover group (n=6) showed the least interest in food and had a low reaction to commands, regardless of the reinforcer. In contrast, the slow group (n=13) had modest interest in food and maintained the same response to commands regardless of the reinforcer. Results of this study indicate that dogs' feeding patterns are indicative of their level of interest in food, and may be useful in determining the optimal training reinforcer. This can help dog owners improve their relationships with their dogs.

The evaluation of autonomic nervous system activation during learning in rhesus macaques with the analysis of the heart rate variability.

The aims of this study were to measure the activity of the autonomic nervous system using heart rate variability (HRV) during learning tasks and to clarify the relationship between learning to overcome a difficult situation and the autonomic nervous system in monkeys. Two young male monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were given simple discrimination learning tasks (DL) and delayed matching to samples tasks (DMTS); Holter-type electrocardiography was done, and HRV was measured. We defined the frequency bands of HRV in rhesus macaques; the low frequency (LF) was 0.01-0.15 Hz, and the high frequency (HF) was 0.15-0.50 Hz. Based on these frequency bands, the LF/HF ratios during learning tasks were analyzed, and a significant increase in the ratio was found during the tasks. The variances in the HF differed between the DL and DMTS tasks; during DMTS tasks, HF variances had a tendency to increase. Our results indicate that increased sympathetic activity accompanied learning and suggest that the parasympathetic nervous system plays a key role during learning, particularly when difficult tasks are being learned.