According to many cat owners, felines may cause schizophrenia. Science doesn’t agree fully with this claim, yet there haven’t been many recorded cases. According to a recent study, though, cats can cause the mental disorder, even though the link isn’t fully investigated.
The first link between cats and schizophrenia go back to the 1970s. That’s when a scientist named E. Fuller revealed that viruses from dogs may cause multiple sclerosis in humans. He also learned that cats host one of the most infectious bacteria in the world – Toxoplasma gondii. This is one of the bacteria that is linked to schizophrenia, leading to the claim that cats may cause it.
Several studies have investigated the link, but found nothing conclusive. Until the recently published study, which suggests that while they’re not direct causers of the mental illness, they definitely increase the risk.
At the same time, science still isn’t sure about how T. gondii causes schizophrenia, which leads back to the same question – if cats cause the mental illness at all. Until there’s more solid scientific evidence, we suggest not believing anything you read. Cats may or may cause schizophrenia, and science might find the answer soon.
