Watching Cat Videos Can Make You Happier And Give You More Energy
It happens to all of us… You see a cute or funny cat video that someone has posted online, you click and watch it, and, before you know, you’ve watched 10 cat videos in a row… The appeal of watching cat videos online has been the subject of watercooler discussion, blogs, and even film festivals, but now academic researchers are looking at the phenomenon more closely to understand what it means on a deeper level.
The short answer is that it’s complicated. People obviously get a great deal of enjoyment from watching cat videos, but there are also elements of procrastination and “post-viewing guilt” that factor in the process. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers found that people who live with or have an affinity for cats are more likely to enjoy cat videos and get relaxation and enjoyment from watching them. The study also found that watching cat videos was rarely the result of a “strong motivation for seeking out feline imagery,” but more often the result of happenstance and the makeup of one’s social network. All in all, the research gives us a glimpse into the mind of cat video viewers, but even more so, shows us that watching cat videos isn’t just an idle pastime, it’s a subject of serious sociological inquiry.