According to Research Gate, owning a cat, or any pet you adopt from a shelter, has been shown to have positive effects on humans' ability to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Taking a cat home from a shelter can improve your sense of happiness and general well-being.
According to the ASPCA, 3.2 million cats can be found in shelters every year and of these, about 860,000 are euthanized annually. Adopting a cat not only helps one of these many animals, looking for a home, but also opens a space for shelters and rescue groups to take in another cat.