Animal

Let these adorable ticklish pets soothe your lockdown woes


So pure, so good (Pictures: Splitpics UK)

People have been sharing pictures of their pets being tickled and honestly, it is exactly what our lockdown needed.

There’s a lot of very serious things happening in the world right now, what with the pandemic and all, so it’s unfortunately even easier than ever these days to lose ourselves in doom and gloom.

Dr Sandro Galea from Boston University previously spoke to us about the impact coronavirus and the resulting lockdown may have on our mental health, saying: ‘While these steps may be critical to mitigate the spread of this disease, they will undoubtedly have consequences for mental health and wellbeing in both the short and long term.’

Therefore it’s especially important to take some time for happy and silly things when and where you can, which is where these ticklish pets come in.

From dogs and cats to turtles to lambs, animal-owners have been sharing photos of their pets being tickled – and honestly it’s almost too pure for us to take.

So whether you have a pet to share your lockdown with or you need a bit of vicarious joy, give your brain a bath with these exceedingly cute pictures.

Look at this silly baby (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Someone’s having a great time (Picture: Splitpics UK)
It’s not just dogs and cats who enjoy attention (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Our faces when we look at these photos (Picture: Splitpics UK)

A study last year found that stroking a cat or a dog for just 10 minutes can lower stress.

Researchers from Washington State University found that there were sizable reductions in the stress hormone cortisol after a mere 10 minutes of petting,

Nothing but good vibes (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Toe beans! (Picture: Splitpics UK)
So tiny, so good (Picture: Splitpics UK)
A smizing master class(Picture: Splitpics UK)
(Picture: Splitpics UK)

Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in the Department of Human Development at WSU said: ‘Students in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone. ‘

‘Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact.’

Sometimes props help with the tickling (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Serving tickle looks (Picture: Splitpics UK)

So if you’ve got a pet of your own, why not get involved and get tickling?

Oh, to be this relaxed (Picture: Splitpics UK)
This is a belly begging for a little rub (Picture: Splitpics UK)
That’s a happy face, right? (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Jaw-droppingly good tickling (Picture: Splitpics UK)

Dr Vishal Shah, GP and Medical Director at Thriva, previously told us: ‘Repeatedly hearing about the pandemic can cause feelings of anxiety and fear, so avoid checking the news constantly and stick to reliable news outlets.’

So do yourself a favour and keep scrolling.

Jealous of these relaxation levels (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Who doesn’t love a little wee hug? (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Drifting off (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Ever get a belly rub this good? (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Hedgehogs need attention too (Picture: Splitpics UK)
So fluffy! (Picture: Splitpics UK)
Ultimate chill (Picture: Splitpics UK)
This one’s doesn’t look too sure, but we’re sure they’ll come around (Picture: Splitpics UK)
‘Come on, rub this belly’ (Picture: Splitpics UK)
When you need your tummy tickled, but ball is life (Picture: Splitpics UK)
A bridge pose that even the most advanced yoga teacher would be jealous of (Picture: Splitpics UK)
(Picture: Splitpics UK)
Us after reading seeing all these cute pics (Picture: Splitpics UK)

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