There seems to be barely a soul anywhere－man, woman, boy or girl－who does not have a soft spot for cats or dogs.

Start going through your list of contacts on the social media app WeChat and it's almost guaranteed that within seconds you'll be regaled with photos of one pet or another. Even many of those unwilling to commit to animal parenthood are apt to be captivated, and even tempted to buy, on seeing puppies, kittens or some other ball of fluff in a pet shop window. Or at the very least to let the oohs and aahs flow freely at the sight of their friend's WeChat animal photos.

When, Zhang Wei, 30, of Beijing returns to his apartment on these baking days of summer, it is not just the air conditioning that offers him solace but also the loving attention of the friendly flat mate he gained recently, a six month-old kitten named Zoala.

Of course this four-footed life partner is now there to meet its owner as he gets home each night after a hard day's work, but when people start saying that such animals are tantamount to therapists, are they having a lend of us? Well, no.