‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ Demonstrates How a Cat Can Be the Comfort We Crave in an Apocalypse

'A Quiet Place: Day One' Demonstrates How a Cat Can Be the Comfort We Crave in an Apocalypse

You might think that having a cat that could draw the attention of noise-triggered killer aliens would be the last thing you need if you woke up one day to discover that the entire planet was taken over by them.

However, a service cat named Frodo is a major factor in the main characters’ ability to avoid the alien creatures in A Quiet Place: Day One, the horror franchise prequel that debuted in theaters on June 28. As he skulked around a monster-infested New York City, Frodo certainly made anxious moviegoers bite their fingernails, but the cat also serves a more important function: Frodo demonstrates the value of pets, especially for those with chronic illnesses, in times of need.

When Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), a cancer patient with a terminal illness, is receiving treatment in a hospice facility and later when she is writhing in agony due to running out of her medication, we witness Frodo providing her with the comfort she needs. The cat’s mesmerizing calm is then sufficient to calm Eric’s (Joseph Quinn) frantic breathing and guide him to Sam when Frodo finds him wandering just outside a flooded subway.

When an animal is around, our bodies can undergo physiological changes that reduce anxiety and promote a sense of centering. Additionally, when you’re in the middle of chaos—whether it’s hostile aliens or distressing findings from your most recent blood test—”pets

In the movie, this is made abundantly clear. Frodo seems completely unaffected by the aliens’ destructive cinematic effects and frequently explores unexplored territory for amusement, which leaves nervous (and uncomfortable quiet) viewers perspiring in their seats. People with chronic illnesses can benefit from a pet’s blissful ignorance in real life by forgetting about their own pain and stress and by reducing negative behaviors like hypervigilance and catastrophic thinking, which are caused by worrying about possible dangers all the time. Having a pet is the best way to practice mindfulness.

Decades of research indicate that interacting with animals can boost levels of pain-reducing endorphins and hormones like oxytocin and prolactin. Pet owners often experience lower blood pressure and cholesterol, suggesting that your furry friend might help reduce stress.

Service animals play a vital role in alleviating the challenges of various chronic conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, and some allergies. Some studies even suggest that having a cat may enhance recovery chances after a heart attack or stroke, while caring for fish can encourage better blood sugar management in teens with type 1 diabetes. Additionally, playing with guinea pigs has been shown to lower anxiety in children with autism.

In certain cases, like the characters Sam and Eric in the movie, pets can provide their owners with a renewed sense of purpose. Taking on the role of caregiver can be a powerful and transformative experience for those who often find themselves needing care.

And that’s exactly what the film’s writer and director Michael Sarnoski had in mind for the furry movie star, according to an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. “When there’s so much going on that you feel overwhelmed by the world, being able to refocus on the things that really matter and make us feel like human beings is essential.”

'A Quiet Place: Day One' Demonstrates How a Cat Can Be the Comfort We Crave in an Apocalypse