A cat curling up on its owner’s lap, purring softly while being stroked, may offer more than a comforting moment. New research suggests that spending time physically close to cats is associated with more positive moods among their owners, with hormonal connections between humans and their feline companions potentially playing a role in emotional wellbeing.

Although many cat owners believe their pets make them happier and healthier, scientific evidence has been mixed. Some studies have linked cat ownership to improved wellbeing, while others have identified possible negative effects. Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan therefore set out to investigate whether the benefits of living with cats depend less on ownership itself and more on the quality of everyday interactions between cats and their human companions.

The researchers followed 29 cats and their 19 owners over one month, examining their daily routines, physical closeness and emotional responses. Small Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices attached to the cats’ collars tracked how much time the animals spent near their owners. The team also collected urine samples to measure hormone levels, assessed owners’ moods through questionnaires and observed how the cats behaved around familiar and unfamiliar people.

The findings revealed an intriguing hormonal connection involving oxytocin, a hormone associated with social bonding, and cortisol, which plays an important role in the body’s stress response. Oxytocin levels in cats and their owners were positively correlated, suggesting a possible biological link between the two.

Notably, cats with higher oxytocin levels tended to have owners with lower cortisol levels and fewer negative feelings. The researchers also found that the cats’ oxytocin concentrations were more closely associated with their owners’ negative moods than the owners’ own oxytocin levels, highlighting the potentially important role of feline behaviour and physiology in human wellbeing.

Physical closeness emerged as another important finding. Owners who spent more time near their cats generally reported more positive moods, regardless of how many years they had owned their pets. This suggests that everyday companionship and interaction may matter more for emotional wellbeing than simply having a cat in the household.

“I think many cat owners are familiar with the sense of comfort and peace they feel when their cat climbs onto their lap seeking affection, they start to pet it, and the cat begins purring contentedly,” says corresponding author Saho Takagi. She explains that such comforting experiences may be partly reflected in the hormonal connection between cats and their owners, particularly through oxytocin, which helps regulate social relationships and bonding.

The findings offer a possible explanation for why previous studies of cat ownership and human health have produced conflicting results. However, the researchers caution that their small observational study identifies associations rather than proving that spending time with cats directly improves mood. Further research will explore how everyday interactions influence both cats and humans, potentially shedding more light on the emotional bonds that make feline companionship so rewarding.

More information: Saho Takagi et al, Cats and humans show correlated affiliative physiological states, iScience. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.117934

Journal information: iScience Provided by Kyoto University