Pet animals, especially cats and dogs, play an important role in societies around the world. They are important companions in many homes, contributing to the physical, social and emotional development of children and the well-being of their owners, particularly in the elderly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most popular pets all over the world. According to IFAH Europe (International Federation for Animal Health in Europe), in addition to stray cats, there are approximately 220 million cats in the world. Since ancient times, cats have been companions of humans. 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 have been 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 for the taming of cats has been found on Crete, dating to around 9,500 BP and cat remains have also been discovered at Jericho, near the Jordan River, dated to 8,700 BP. The most widely accepted theory of cat domestication states that cats essentially domesticated themselves. Cats generally live a solitary existence and maintain their own territories, making them more attached to places than people. Furthermore, even their role as mouse hunters is questionable, as cats are known to not perform directed tasks. Terriers and ferrets are more suited to the latter role. For the same reasons, there is little reason to believe that wild cats were actively sought out and selected as utilitarian companions by an ancient agricultural community. Rather, the best conclusion is that people simply tolerated wild cats' use of the human environment and that, over time and space, pet cats gradually diverged from their wild relatives. The evolution and development of agriculture in the Middle East around 11,000 years ago, and the associated expansion in the cultivation and storage of grains, such as barley and wheat, attracted unwanted attention from small rodents, natural prey of wild cats. Attracted by this increase in the local population of small rodents, Neolithic towns 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 attics, seeing the benefits. This process, in turn, has given rise to populations of urban domestic cats that are more dependent on humans for shelter and food. Thus, the original domestic cat was a product of natural selection, whereas the adaptation of other barnyard animals and dogs to human domination was largely driven by artificial selection. At some point, animals moved from being utilitarian companions to being "pets", although this is unclear. what the crossover entails. Studies have suggested that human and animal companions benefit in many ways from the relationship between them. The relationship between human health and pet ownership has been studied from different angles, and there is evidence to suggest that pets provide companionship and likely also provide psychological and physiological health benefits. ThereResearch shows that pets can benefit their owners physically and psychologically in many ways, including: they have been shown to lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, help overcome stressful situations, reduce depression and feelings of loneliness and improve self-esteem, and appear to do so in a variety of contexts. Cardiovascular disease risk rates are significantly lower for current and past cat owners than for non-cat owners. Pet owners use fewer medications, visit their doctors less often, and have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-pet owners. Pets are commonly believed to provide mental and physical health benefits to their human companions. Several studies have shown 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 increased improved physical activity and immune response. Older pet owners make fewer annual health care visits and spend fewer days in an acute care facility if hospitalized, compared to none of the pet owners. For older adults, animals also provide a sense of comfort and social support. Research also shows that pets play an important role in the development of children and the well-being of older adults. In a therapeutic setting, pets can also be used. Although animals provide important benefits to our society, there are well-documented health risks associated with pet ownership. 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, which live in close proximity to humans and eat similar foods. The human-animal bond has become stronger in modern society, with pets playing a major role as a source of companionship, entertainment and emotional support. for their owners. However, this close contact can also increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, as pets have been implicated in the transmission of more than 60 zoonotic agents. Some of these parasites cause illnesses that can be serious in certain circumstances. The increasing number of companion animals, including cats, poses serious public health, veterinary and socio-economic 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 domesticated cats in many countries can pose public health and animal welfare concerns. Indeed, the majority of 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 the subject of numerous studies. These pathogens affect between 30.8% and 35.1% of.