You love spending hours petting and stroking your cat, and it's a relaxing time for you. But is it for your cat?

This is the answer experts have tried to answer: Animal behaviour experts stroked different cats to varying degrees. They tested the stress hormone levels of each cat before and after stroking and discovered that none of the cats enjoyed constant touching, however some were prepared to tolerate it, but were more stressed as a result!

Indeed when handled by humans, cats deliver hormones related to anxiety. This test showed that no cat likes being stroke, but some tolerate it... and these ones show the highest level of stress.

Professor Daniel Mills from the university said: 'Our data suggests cats who tolerate, rather than enjoy or dislike being petted, seem to be the most stressed.'

Is it possible that while petting a cat calms humans, it stresses them? Do we transmit our stress to cats by stroking them? Experts can't explain it, but in the meanwhile genuine cat lovers should avoid constantly petting their feline friends to spare their feelings.

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