Long-suspected link between cats and schizophrenia could be real: new study

[BHopkins]

That disease is why pregnant women shouldn't handle cat box duties.

The article mentions that, whether or not there is a link between schizophrenia and the T. gondii parasite, the parasite has been proven to have other serious health risks, "especially for pregnant women, who can pass the parasite through the placenta to the fetus . . .". The article goes on to say "T. gondii increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or serious health problems for the child, including vision problems, blindness, developmental delays and learning differences."

Considering these known risks of exposure to T. gondii, it seems quite reasonable that this schizophrenia link is also possible.

It makes me wonder if it is feasible to develop a screening and/or treatment for cats, to kill the T. gondii parasite, before a cat is adopted into a home.

 

[Fifth87]

This was quite possibly written by one of those insidious dog people; as pro-dog propaganda.

 

[2heeldrive]

There is a link to marijuana and schizophrenia too.

So, if you smoke and have a cat... watch out!

 

[Skippy722]

Crazy? I Was Crazy Once. They Locked Me In A Room. A Rubber Room. A Rubber Room With Cats. And Cats Make Me Crazy!​

 

[4strokes]

Ernest Hemingway, mental health issues, lots of cats.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

People should be able to change cat litter without handling the fecal matter, and should wash their hands after changing litter anyway. Any animal fecal matter, including humans', is something to avoid direct contact with. This is common sense, I think, but that's a commodity in short supply these days.

The toxoplasmosis info about cat feces has been out there for a while, and also remember that undercooked meat can also have the bug.

I own two clean Siamese–mix cats and don't come into direct contact with their waste when I change their litter. Instead paper (usually old grocery store bags) is in the bottom of the boxes and the works get dumped all at once in a 13–gallon trash bag during changing. The paper bag takes the litter with it. Newspaper also works. Periodically I clean the box directly with a little bit of straight bleach and dump the bleach into the same trash bag as the discarded litter.

I might be crazy, but it's not from that.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Are cats causing the problem or do people with schizophrenic personalities have a tendency to select cats?

Bingo

 

[97K15004WD]

As science has advanced, we are learning more and more about certain parasites and how they affect behavior. "Zombie" virus for ants, virus takes over cells and hijacks the machinery to make more copies of itself, etc. There are certain viral infections in humans now (HPV) that exist and propagate to others. Why would this be any different?

Hijacks the "reward" center and makes the people want to be around cats. Same thing is happening with wolves and the "alpha" - infection leads the wolf to dominate and move the pack to an area where a certain species of cats lives (from CNN):



Also (from Science Alert):

A Strange Thing Happens to Wolves Infected by Infamous Mind-Altering Parasite

A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader.

www.sciencealert.com

There are multiple examples of this type of behavior by parasites. It ensures their survival and ability to reproduce.

Anyone remember the series "Monsters inside me"?

 

[GON]

Let it snow!

 

[mr_boring]

"It's all going as planned" - Caterwaul, the one true Cat God

 

[97K15004WD]

And here is another example of a parasite controlling the host:

How a Parasitic Worm Forces Praying Mantises to Drown Themselves — Scientific American

Thieving worms may manipulate their prey with stolen genes

apple.news

Again - “crazy” cat lady is probably a susceptible human who succumbed to the parasite and is “incubating”

 

[Pablo]

"Delusions or false beliefs not based on reality"

They really are out there.

 

[paulo57509]

I don't think they make one schizo but I think they do cast spells over you. There's ten house cats in my brother's home. The last stray he picked up he found walking around inside a Walgreens.

 

[andrewg]

There is a link to marijuana and schizophrenia too.

So, if you smoke and have a cat... watch out!

100% believe the marijuana connection. Not so sure about the cats.

 

[SHOZ]

I get my ivermectin at TSC for them parasites.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Toxoplasmosis related. It’s not the cats, it’s a cat-rodent brain parasite that spreads to humans through contact with fecal matter.