Having a cat or dog is as good for you as being married or in a high-paying job

Having a pet is as fulfilling as having friends, according to new research

Dogs and cats are so loveable that is is easy for pet owners to develop a very real, long-lasting bond with them and incorporate them into the family with ease.

Scots singletons may come to rely on their furry friend for comfort and companionship in the absence of a special human someone in their lives. After all, canines are known for their loyalty, while felines are fiercely protective.

And it turns out there is evidence to back this up. According to a new study, the joy you feel when your animal greets you at the door after a long day at the office can be as rewarding as returning to an actual human partner.

In fact, raising a four-legged creature like a cat or dog can bring you the same psychological benefits as getting married or earning an extra £70,000 a year, researchers at Kent University have found.

Using the “life satisfaction” approach, economists can translate intangible assets like friendship and family into a hypothetical income.

The research conducted on 2,500 British families found that owning a pet was linked to an increase in life satisfaction of three to four points on a scale of one to seven, similar to values obtained for meeting with friends and relatives regularly.

Economists have shown that marriage, compared to being single, is worth around £70,000 a year. Separation, on the other hand, is equivalent to around minus £170,000 a year.

Dr Adelina Gschwandtner of the University of Kent, the lead author of the new study, explained: “This research answers the question whether overall pet companions are good for us with a resounding ‘Yes’.

“Pets care for us and there is a significant monetary value associated with their companionship. This information can be used for health care practice and policy to increase well-being and life satisfaction of humans involving pets.”

Regular dog walkers are known to have better cardiovascular health, while having a feline at home can lower risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pet allergens.

Simply stroking our pets can lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies, leading to a calmer approach to life, positively impacting our blood pressure and make you less likely to suffer from clinical depression.

Dr Gschwandtner told The Times she was inspired by a paper that put a price tag on human friendship.

“I thought, ‘well, if it’s possible for friends, why not for pets?’” she said. “I understand why some people might be sceptical [about the £70,000 value].

“Given that pets are considered by many as best friends and family members, these values appear to be plausible… I also suspect that many people don’t actually realise how important their pets are for them.”

The findings follow research by greetings card marketplace thortful which found that a third of Brits admit to favouring their pet over their children, and almost half see their pet as a child.

The paper, published by Social Indicators Research, also revealed what personality traits are linked to cat and dog carers. Cat carers were found to be more open whereas dog carers appear to be more extroverted, agreeable and less neurotic. Pet carers in general appear to be more open, conscientious, and extroverted than non-pet carers.