In humans,ringworm causes scaly, red, ring-shaped patches on the skin.
Cats spread ringworm more often than dogs.
This fungal infection is more likely to affect kittens, older cats, or cats who are otherwise sick.
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Long-haired cats or cats who live with multiple other cats are also at higher risk.
Salmonella: Typhoid Kitty?
Cats can spreadsalmonellato humans.
This infection may cause fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms in humans.
Cats may not have any symptoms from salmonella, so handlers may not realize the risk.
It’s important to be careful with kitty litters.
It is best to wear gloves when changing the litter.
Toxoplasmosis
Cats can spreadToxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection, to humans.
Cats can acquireToxoplasmaby eating infected rodents, birds, or anything contaminated with feces from another infected animal.
The infection is usually self-limited.
It may feel like the flu and cause swollen glands.
In some people, it can cause long-term blurry vision and eye pain.
One small study suggested that the infection could be associated with psychological effects in humans.
Cats are part of the parasite’s lifecycle.
it’s possible for you to get this infection by eating without washing after cleaning the kitty litter.
Influenza
You sneeze.
This, however, has not been shown to have any real effects on cat owners.
Toxocara
A cat may treat the backyard as its kitty litter.
As a result, Toxocara worm eggs (Toxocara cati) may be released into the soil.
Perhaps 1 in 4 cats carry this infection.
Humansespecially childrenmay accidentally put their hands in their mouths after touching contaminated dirt.
Most people who are exposed do not develop symptoms.
The infection can also cause Visceral Ocular Migrans, with resulting vision loss and eye damage.
This is very, very rare, but it has been reported.
Some cat diseases have names similar to human diseases but do not cause human disease.
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