Among the diseases mentioned are asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis.

They noted when a child is exposed to a cat, the gene somehow goes inactive.

Keeping a cat in your house can help a toddler adapt a strong immune system against respiratory diseases, a new study by Danish scientists shows.

The study, conducted by scientists from Copenhagen Studies on Asthma in Childhood Research Centre in Denmark, claims as a toddler grows with the cat on their side, they develop a certain gene that strengthens their resistance to respiratory diseases.

Among the diseases mentioned are asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis.

The study, however, eliminated man’s best friend who was part of the study, dog, as they did not find any health benefits on them being near a child.

According to the study who results were released a week towards the World Pneumonia Day, which is being marked today, a gene named TT was found responsible for these diseases.

The scientists explained the gene could be amplified and cause any of the three diseases depending on exposure.

They noted when a child is exposed to a cat, the gene somehow goes inactive.

“Dog allergen exposure did not show such interaction,” the report read in part.

At least 377 children whose mothers had a history of asthma had their genes examined in the study whose primary point was the development of asthma until the age of 12.

The study sought to find out the number of episodes with pneumonia and bronchitis in children under the age of three.

Exposures, as detailed in the study published by American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, included cat and dog ownership from birth and their allergens level in bedding age of one year.