CAT OWNERSHIP MAY BE HEALTHY CHOICE

A new study suggests cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who, well, don't own cats.

And no, dogs don't do the same trick.

The study, by researchers at the University of Minnesota, found that feline-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats.

The study was presented Thursday at the International Stroke Conference in New Orleans.

Researchers looked at 4,435 people who had answered questionnaires about pet ownership and other risk factors.

The cat-dog differential came as a surprise. "We don't understand this completely," but "it's probably not a coincidence," said researcher Dr. Adnan Qureshi.
McClatchy News Services

(hey, maybe it's because cats purr????)