Test Your Cat Happiness Score: 10 Moments, How Many Have You Experienced?

UK research suggests owning a cat brings happiness equivalent to earning an extra 70,000 per year

Take a short test first.

Below are 10 happy moments of owning a cat. Give yourself 1 point for each one you have experienced.

  • 0-3 points: You might be a new cat owner. Many happy moments are still on their way.

  • 4-7 points: You and your cat have built a good connection.

  • 8-10 points: Congratulations. Your happiness score with your cat is at a level others can only envy.

Ready? Let's begin.

1. It wakes you up every morning (1 point)

Not an alarm clock. It sits by your bedside and gently taps your face with its paw. Or it just sits on your chest.

 

The first thing you see when you wake up is your cat. The first thing it does when it sees you are awake is rub against your hand and remind you it is breakfast time.

Some say this means cats rule humans. But cat owners know this feeling of being needed is much gentler than any alarm.

 

Have you experienced this? Yes 1 point

2. It pushes its head into your hand (1 point)

You are sitting on the sofa looking at your phone. It walks over and pushes its head against your hand. It is not being cute. It is saying pet me.

 

Research shows that stroking a cat for just 10 minutes is enough to trigger the release of oxytocin the bonding hormone and lower cortisol the stress hormone.

 

So when you feel like petting your cat is healing your body really is being healed.

Have you experienced this? Yes 1 point

3. It has a secret signal just for you (1 point)

Cats have their own language.

 

When it slowly blinks at you it is not tired. It is saying I like you and I trust you. If you blink back you are basically kissing.

 

When it rubs its head against your hand your leg or your phone it is leaving its scent on you and marking you as mine.

 

When it turns its backside toward you it is not being rude. It is showing you its highest level of trust. It is leaving its most vulnerable side with you.

 

Have you received these signals? Yes 1 point

4. It waits for you at the door (1 point)

The moment you open the door it is already there. Sometimes it just sits. Sometimes it runs over and rubs against your leg. Sometimes it walks over slowly and pretends it was just passing by.

 

But it was waiting for you. Cat owners know that cats are not cold. They just show their missing in their own way.

 

Have you experienced this? Yes 1 point

5. It stays quietly with you when you are sad (1 point)

When you cry it may not come over. But when you calm down and look back it is not far away.

 

It does not make noise. It does not ask questions. It is just there. For many people who live alone this quiet presence is more comforting than any words.

 

A survey found that 84 percent of pet owners believe pets have a positive impact on their mental health. Two thirds said interacting with their pets is an important way to maintain a positive mindset.

 

Have you experienced this? Yes 1 point

6. It makes you laugh out loud (1 point)

It climbs into a cardboard box and only its head sticks out. It chases its own tail in circles and falls over. It gets startled by a bird outside the window and jumps half a metre in the air. It lies down on your keyboard and refuses to move.

 

Before you owned a cat you did not know how many small unexpected joys a cat could bring to your life. These small moments of happiness do not solve big problems. But they make you smile on many ordinary nights.

 

Have you experienced this? Yes 1 point

7. It purrs when you pet it (1 point)

You stroke it. It closes its eyes. Its body starts to vibrate gently. Purr purr.

 

This is the most classic sign of a happy cat. Cats may also purr when they are stressed or in pain. But most of the time when you are petting it and it makes this sound it is telling you I feel safe right now.

 

This sound is also the most healing background noise for many cat owners.

 

Have you heard this? Yes 1 point

8. It has been with you through a chapter of your life (1 point)

The average lifespan of a cat is 12 to 18 years.

 

This means when you own a cat it will be with you through a long part of your life. From graduation to your first job. From one city to another. From living alone to living with someone. From a low point to a better day.

 

You are its whole life. It is also one of the most important companions in a certain chapter of yours.

 

How long have you been together? More than 3 years Yes 1 point

9. Owning a cat has made you healthier (1 point)

This is not a myth.

 

Multiple medical studies have found a positive link between cat ownership and heart health. Cat owners have a significantly lower risk of dying from heart disease or stroke compared to people who do not own cats.

 

A PDSA survey also found that 51 percent of cat owners believe owning a cat has made them physically healthier and 88 percent believe it has benefited their mental health.

 

It may not be that you exercise more because of your cat. It may be that your cat makes you less anxious helps you sleep better and gives your life more routine. Small things add up and your body knows.

 

Have you felt this way? Yes 1 point

10. It is family that you chose for yourself (1 point)

It does not need you to be very successful. It does not need you to earn a lot of money. It does not need you to have many friends. It only needs you. And you find that you need it too.

 

This feeling is hard to describe with data. But researchers at the University of Kent and the London School of Economics did an interesting calculation. The happiness boost from owning a pet is roughly equivalent to earning an extra 70,000 per year.

 

Of course this number does not mean you can actually earn less. It means some things cannot be bought with money. And what a cat gives is exactly that kind of thing.

 

Have you felt this way? Yes 1 point

What is your happiness score?

Add up your points and see where you fall.

 

0 to 3 points - Happiness level: Low


You might be a new cat owner. Many happy moments are still on their way. Do not worry. Your story with your cat has just begun.

 

4 to 7 points - Happiness level: Good


You and your cat have built a solid connection. It is used to you and you understand it. Keep collecting those small moments.

 

8 to 10 points - Happiness level: Excellent


Congratulations. Your happiness score with your cat is at a level others can only envy. You share a deep emotional bond. Treasure it.

A final note

Owning a cat is not all happiness. It sheds fur. It scratches the sofa. It runs around at 3am. It eats your houseplant and throws up on your bed. It has its own personality. It will not always behave. It will not always be cute.

 

But if you ask cat owners whether it is worth it the answer is almost always the same.

Yes. It is worth it.

 

Because those happy moments are more than enough to make up for all the small troubles.

What is your score?

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References

 

University of Kent and London School of Economics. Social Indicators Research. 2025.

 

PDSA. PDSA Animal Wellbeing PAW Report. 2024.

 

American Psychiatric Association and American Veterinary Medical Association joint survey.

 

Multiple medical studies on cat ownership and cardiovascular health.

 

Dutch study on cat owner attachment relationships. 1,800 participants.

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