Companion animals, especially dogs and cats, play an important role in societies around the world. They are important companions in many families, contributing to the physical, social and emotional development of children and the well-being of their owners, especially in the elderly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most popular pets in the world. According to IFAH Europe (International Federation for European Animal Health), in addition to stray cats, there are approximately 220 million cats in the world. Since ancient times, cats have been companions of man. The Egyptians are often credited with first domesticating African wild cats around 4,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians considered cats sacred animals, and mummified cats were found in their tombs. Recent discoveries suggest that cats may have been closely associated with humans as early as 9,500 years ago. The oldest archaeological evidence of cat domestication has been found in Crete and dates back to around 9,500 years ago and cat remains have also been found in Jericho near the Jordan River dated to 8,700 years ago. The most widely accepted theory of cat domestication states that cats essentially domesticated themselves. Cats usually live a solitary existence and maintain their own territories, which makes them more attached to places than people. Furthermore, their role as mice is also questionable since cats are known not to perform direct tasks. Terrier dogs and ferrets are more suitable for this latter role. For the same reasons, there is little reason to believe that wild cats were actively sought and selected as utilitarian companions by any early agricultural communities. Rather, the best inference is that people simply tolerated wild cats using human environments, and, over time and space, domestic cats gradually diverged from their wild relatives. The evolution and development of agriculture in the Middle East around 11,000 years ago, and the related expansion in the cultivation and storage of cereals, such as barley and wheat, attracted the unwanted attention of small rodents, natural prey of wild cats. Attracted by this increase in the local population of small rodents, Neolithic cities and villages were invaded by wild cats who gradually settled there. Human inhabitants have allowed these feral cats to live around their rodent-infested homes and barns seeing the benefits. This process, in turn, gave rise to urban domestic cat populations that became more dependent on humans for shelter and food. Thus, the original domestic cat was a product of natural selection while the adaptation of other farmyard animals and dogs to human dominance was largely driven by artificial selection. At some point, the animals went from being utilitarian companions to "pets," although it's unclear what the crossover entails. Studies have suggested that both human and animal companions benefit in many ways from relationships with each other. The relationship between human health and pet ownership has been studied from various perspectives, and there is evidence to suggest that pets provide companionship and likely also provide psychological and physiological health benefits. Research shows that pets can bring physical and psychological benefits to their owners in many ways, such as: They have been shown to lower blood pressure, decrease frequencycardiac, help overcome stressful situations, reduce depression and feelings of loneliness and improve self-esteem, and apparently they do so in different contexts. Cardiovascular disease risk rates are significantly lower for both current and former cat owners compared to non-cat owners. Pet owners have been reported to use fewer medications, visit the doctor less often, and have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-pet owners. Pets are generally believed to provide mental support and physical health benefits to their human companions. Several studies have found that owning and/or interacting with a pet has benefits for the individual, including mental health outcomes such as reduced anxiety and physical health outcomes such as improved physical activity and immune response. Senior pet owners have fewer annual doctor visits and spend fewer days in an intensive care setting if hospitalized than none of the pet owners. In older adults, animals also provide a sense of comfort and social support. Research also shows that pets play an important role in promoting the development of children and the well-being of older adults. In a therapeutic context, pets can also be used. While animals provide significant benefits to our society, there are well-documented health risks associated with owning a pet. Domestic animals have been found to play a direct role in the transmission of zoonosis. Many helminths that infect humans are also found in other mammals, including domestic cats, that live near humans and eat similar foods. The bond between humans and animals has become stronger in modern society, and pets play an important role as a source of companionship, entertainment and emotional support. for their owners. This close contact, however, can also increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, as pets are involved in the transmission of more than 60 zoonotic agents. Some of these parasites cause diseases that in specific circumstances can be serious. The growing number of companion animals, including cats, poses serious public health, veterinary and socioeconomic problems worldwide. There is a wide range of infections that can be transmitted to humans from domestic cats, including parasitic, bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. Without veterinary care, free-roaming domestic cats in many countries can cause public health problems and animal welfare concerns. In fact, most diseases can be controlled or prevented by cat owners if they are sufficiently informed and have the resources to do so. Concerns about the public health risks of pet ownership have recently increased significantly, and although many potentially zoonotic organisms are associated with cats, enteric pathogens are of particular concern. The presence of feline gastrointestinal parasitism throughout Europe has been studied by many studies. These pathogens affect 30.8% to 35.1% of owned cats, as reported in two recent multicenter surveys in Europe. Prevalence estimates vary widely between different countries depending on the parasite species, the population under study and the diagnostic procedure used. It should be emphasized that, according to Millan and Casanova, the infection rate is up to 100% for stray cat populations due to inadequate parasite control and access.