What the Science Says
You already know the feeling. You’ve had a brutal day. You’ve had three meetings back to back with one particularly difficult client. You’ve had a discussion about your to-do list that you know will take all evening to complete.
However, when you walk into the house, your dog rushes to greet you, or your cat jumps onto your lap. For some reason, you feel better in minutes than you did when you left the office earlier in the day.
Is it in your head? Or is there some physiological reason why your pet can make you feel better? The science behind the behavior is surprisingly compelling. Getting the right pet may just be the most effective stress management tool at your disposal — and that’s just one benefit of having a pet in the home.
“Just 10 minutes of interacting with cats and dogs produced a significant reduction in cortisol — a major stress hormone.” — Washington State University
First, Let’s Talk About Cortisol
Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. Produced by the adrenal glands, cortisol is released in response to a threat to the body – whether that threat is a deadline, a relationship issue, or lack of sleep. Short bursts of cortisol help the body to focus and utilize its energy.
Chronic exposure to cortisol, however, can disrupt the body’s sleep cycle, contribute to weight gain, weaken the immune system, alter mood, and even impact the body’s hormonal system altogether. For women, cortisol can impact estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid function.
So what does your pet have to do with cortisol and stress?
The 10-Minute Effect: What Research Actually Shows
In a landmark study conducted at Washington State University, cortisol levels were measured in 249 college students. The results indicated that students who spent just ten minutes interacting with cats and dogs showed significantly lower levels of cortisol in their saliva compared to the students who did not interact with cats or dogs. Furthermore, this study was the first to show a reduction in cortisol levels outside of a laboratory setting.
Another study, published in the journal PLOS One and highlighted in the journal of the Society for Endocrinology in 2024, indicated that playing with dogs, walking dogs, or stroking dogs leads to a reduction of cortisol and an increase in oxytocin in human beings. Thus, human beings experience both a reduction in stress and an increase in feelings of bonding with dogs as a result of interacting with them.
“The reduction of stress hormones may, over time, have significant benefits for physical and mental health.” — Dr. Patricia Pendry, WSU
The Oxytocin Connection
Here’s where it gets particularly interesting for women. When you interact with your pet — stroking, gazing, playing — your brain releases oxytocin, the so-called ‘love hormone’. Oxytocin is the same neuropeptide involved in mother-infant bonding, breastfeeding, and feelings of deep social connection.
What makes this significant is the fact that oxytocin and cortisol essentially work in opposition to one another. As oxytocin levels rise in the body, the nervous system shifts away from the “fight or flight” mode that is regulated by cortisol, and into a “rest and digest” mode.
One study examined oxytocin changes in men and women after interacting with their bonded dogs following a stressful workday. Oxytocin levels increased significantly more in women than in men — suggesting that the hormonal response to pet interaction may be particularly potent for the female nervous system. Researchers noted that this may relate to the interaction between oxytocin and oestrogen, which potentiates the oxytocin system.
For women navigating perimenopause or menopause — when oestrogen declines and stress resilience can shift — this finding is worth noting. Oxytocin-boosting activities, including time with pets, may offer a gentle but meaningful buffer against the hormonal turbulence of these life stages.
It’s Not Just Dogs
Dogs tend to dominate the research, but the benefits extend across species. A study published in the journal Animals investigated the physiological effects of cat owners interacting with their cats at home in natural, everyday conditions. While the results were nuanced — suggesting cats may produce more of a ‘positive arousal’ or eustress response rather than straightforward relaxation — the overall picture was still one of emotional and physiological benefit.
Research has also found that interactions with cats are associated with lower feelings of loneliness and anxiety, and that women’s oxytocin responses during cat interaction are linked to specific affectionate behaviours — particularly those initiated by the cat itself. In other words, when your cat chooses to sit with you, your body chemistry responds.
Even smaller animals — guinea pigs, rabbits, and therapy animals of various kinds — have demonstrated measurable reductions in anxiety and cortisol in structured settings. The NIH’s Human-Animal Interaction Research Program has confirmed these broad benefits across species, noting reductions in cortisol levels and blood pressure alongside improvements in mood and feelings of social support.
The Long-Term Benefits: More Than Just a Moment
The research on pet ownership and cortisol levels isn’t only focused on the relief pets can provide for those with elevated cortisol. Research published in the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Germany and Austria revealed that pet owners are the healthiest individuals studied, with owners making significantly fewer doctor’s visits each year compared to those without pets at home. This is due to pet owners having lower cortisol levels, increasing their physical activity (those who own dogs tend to get up and walk more), and reducing the effects of loneliness.
One of the strongest predictors of elevated cortisol levels is loneliness. As such, pet ownership is one of the best methods of combating loneliness. Research published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry analyzed the effect of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that dog ownership protected those who lived alone from feeling lonely.
The daily routine that pet ownership provides to individuals allows people to regulate their cortisol levels. Whether it is taking their dog for a walk each morning, feeding them at set intervals throughout the day, or simply spending time beside their pet during the evening hours, these routines provide benefits to the owners that they may not realize.
Your pet may be one of the most accessible, evidence-backed stress-reduction tools you haven’t fully credited.
How to Make the Most of the Connection
The research suggests that the quality and nature of your interaction matters. Here are some of the most cortisol-lowering approaches supported by the science:
- Hands-on petting and stroking — not just proximity. Active touch appears to be the key trigger for oxytocin release in both you and your animal.
- Eye contact with your dog. Studies have found that mutual gaze between dogs and their owners elevates oxytocin levels for both species — a feedback loop of bonding chemistry.
- Regular walks. For dog owners, the combination of light exercise, fresh air, and companionship makes walking one of the most well-rounded cortisol-lowering activities available.
- Quiet presence. Simply sitting with a calm animal — reading, breathing, resting — activates the parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s rest-and-repair mode.
- Play. Active, joyful interaction raises dopamine and oxytocin while creating a genuine cortisol-dampening effect.
A Note of Nuance
It should be noted that while the studies are encouraging, there are elements of complexity to the findings. For example, the results of these studies varied according to the quality of the bond between human and pet, the stress levels of the individuals in the study, and the type of interaction between the owners and their pets. Not all pet-owner relationships are the same, any more than all human relationships are the same.
Additionally, owning a pet can introduce elements of stress into a human’s life, as well. The costs of owning a pet, the stress associated with the pet becoming unwell, and the grief associated with the death of a pet can all be stressors for pet owners.
Overall, though, the studies indicate that for most women with pets, such a relationship is beneficial to their hormonal health. Cortisol levels will be lower, oxytocin levels will be higher, and nervous system regulation will benefit as well. All of this in a way that is natural to the relationship between human and pet, and that is joyful to the owners of those pets – most of the time, at least.
The Bottom Line
Your pet isn’t just good company. They are literally regulating your stress response. Every day with your pet means lower cortisol and higher oxytocin.
If you’re looking for one more reason to spend time with your animal, this is it.
References & Further Reading
Pendry, P. & Vandagriff, J.L. (2019). Animal Visitation Program (AVP) reduces cortisol levels of university students: A randomized controlled trial. AERA Open, 5(2), 1–12.
Society for Endocrinology (2024). New study suggests interacting with dogs can reduce cortisol levels. endocrinology.org
Miller, S.C. et al. (2009). An examination of changes in oxytocin levels in men and women before and after interaction with a bonded dog. Anthrozoös, 22(1).
Petersson, M. et al. (2017). Oxytocin and cortisol levels in dog owners and their dogs are associated with behavioral patterns. Frontiers in Psychology.
NIH News in Health (2018). The Power of Pets. newsinhealth.nih.gov
Ohanjanyan, A. et al. (2023). Effects of Interactions with Cats on the Psychological and Physiological State of Their Owners. Animals, 13(13).