At present, there are more and more cases where relatives are opposed to raising pets. The most common rhetoric they use is, "Cats are full of bacteria. Don't bring them home and infect us." In fact, zoonosis is not a terrible thing. It is just that many people are afraid because they do not understand it. But when you truly understand it, you will not feel so scary and helpless. Today, let’s talk to you about the common zoonotic diseases that cats may carry and the simple preventive measures you can take.

What are zoonotic diseases?

Zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted from living animals to humans. It is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, prions and fungi. It can be transmitted not only to humans through animals, but also through ticks or mosquitoes. carry out indirect transmission.

What are the basic zoonotic diseases in cats?

Cat moss

Ringworm, also known as dermatophytosis, is a fungal infection of the skin that can infect animals and humans. The infected area appears as a red patch and then spreads to other parts, which may be the scalp, feet, groin, beard and other parts. Anyone can get cat fungus. Prevention methods include: washing hair after contact with pets, disinfecting and cleaning living areas, and avoiding close contact with cats with catnip.

Parasitic infection

Fleas are the most common parasite, and their bites can cause itching and inflammation in both humans and cats.

·Feed brand cat food with normal ingredients.

·Avoid feeding raw meat or domestic meat that has not been frozen, and it is best to cook it.

·Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.

·Carry out deworming work regularly. If the cat often goes outdoors, the deworming interval should be shortened.

Toxoplasma gondii

This is an infection caused by a parasite. It usually appears in a cat's feces or in raw meat, especially venison, lamb, and pork. If a cat eats an infected animal, they may not get sick because they are fighting the infection. But it's still there in the feces. Toxoplasma infection may cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, etc. We should pay attention to the cleanliness of the cat litter box to avoid Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Rabies

This is a type of viral infection that everyone is very familiar with, and the problems that rabies can cause can be fatal. It occurs through bites, scratches, or mucous membrane exposures from infected animals.exposure spread. Although most viruses only infect the host, rabies is an exception. Cats are very sensitive to rabies. When it attacks the central nervous system, it causes various signs and is almost fatal. When cats often live outdoors or come into contact with dogs, it is best to get rabies vaccinations to reduce the risk of rabies.

Plague (rare)

Plague is typically spread by rats, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and prairie dogs, and can also be spread through scratches or bites from infected domestic cats. Bubonic plague infects the lymphatic system, causing inflammation of the lymph nodes, and when left untreated, can enter the bloodstream (causing septicemic plague) or the lungs (causing pneumonic plague). Symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and epilepsy may appear 2-6 days after infection.

Cat-scratch fever (rare)

This is a bacterial infection caused by a bacterium called Bartonella, which can be carried in the saliva and fleas of infected cats. Why is it called "cat scratch fever"? As the name suggests, this bacteria is usually transmitted to humans through scratches. In addition, there are bites, cats licking human wounds, etc. This type of bacteria is usually spread by the bite of an infected flea.

People suffering from cat scratch fever usually develop swelling and blisters at the bite or scratch site, accompanied by pain, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. And it lasts for a long time. Healthy adults may completely disappear after a few months, but people with compromised immune systems will face infections of the eyes, brain and heart, causing very serious consequences.

Therefore, it is very important for us to avoid scratches or bites from cats, wash our hands after playing, and help cats deworm in time to control fleas. These can reduce the risk of cat scratch fever infection.

·AIDS patients

·Receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy

·Elderly people or people with chronic diseases

·People born with congenital immune deficiencies

·Have received organ or bone marrow transplant

·Pregnant women (the fetus’s immune system has not yet fully developed)

How to reduce the risk of disease?

In fact, these high risks do not mean that you need to give up raising cats, but that you need to take basic preventive measures! For example, regular physical examinations for cats, washing hands frequently, and avoiding direct contact with cat feces, etc.

Finally, let’s look at these simple prevention guidelines: strong>

·Do not place cat litter boxes, feces and garbage in areas where food can come into contact, such as the kitchen or living room.

·Try to use disposable cat litter boxes and replace them every time they need to be cleaned.

·Clean the litter box with hot water at least twice a month and soak the litter box in hot water for at least five minutes.

·Wear disposable gloves every time you clean, throw them away after use, and wash your hands thoroughly.

·Of course, it is best to let people who are not at risk help the cat to shovel poop!

Note: It is possible for cats to contract human diseases, such as influenza and food poisoning, but these cases are very rare.