Navaho Gunleg

As also noted on Slashdot today, the Star-Telegram reports that Robotic pets offer health benefits, too:

In a recent study at the University of Missouri, for example, levels of the stress hormone cortisol dropped among adults who, for several minutes, petted AIBO, Sony’s dog-shaped robot that responds when stroked, chases a ball and perks up when it hears a familiar voice. That’s the same reaction live dogs get. Unlike real dogs, though, AIBO didn’t prompt increases in “good” body chemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins.

I was already aware that petting pets is stress-relieving.

Some cats, however, can have a tendency to increase the stress at some times, i.e. by scratching at closet-doors in the middle of the night and meowing.
 
Animals, Pets, Stress