Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that cats are rarely a source of disease, and that it is unlikely for anyone to get sick from touching or owning a cat.
Among the zoonotic agents most often associated with free-roaming cats are the rabies virus and Toxoplasma gondii parasite.
Some illnesses, like feline distemper, ring worm, and feline leukemia can be passed on via saliva and other contact-specific vectors. As long as you wash your hands (and anywhere else the feral cat touches) thoroughly and keep your cats vaccinated, you should be fine.
It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. In addition, cats kept indoors (that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat) are not likely to be infected with Toxoplasma.
All persons should thoroughly wash their hands before eating and after any contact with your cat, their feces, or the surfaces where cats roam.
Free-roaming cats are an important source of zoonotic diseases including rabies, Toxoplasma gondii, cutaneous larval migrans, tularemia and plague.
However, animals can carry harmful germs that make people sick even when the animal looks healthy and clean. Germs that may be spread from animals to people include E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Coxiella burnetii, Campylobacter, Yersinia enterocolitica, and ringworm.
The overall positive rates of Toxoplasma gondii in stray cats were 38.9% (28/72), with 15.3% (11/72) in ELISA and 30.6% (22/72) in PCR. The positive rate in male stray cats was slightly higher than that of female stray cats.
The answer is yes. There are actually a number of diseases you can contract catch from your cat, known broadly as zoonotic diseases. The word “zoonotic” is used to describe any disease that is transmittable from animals to humans. The best known and most feared example of a zoonotic disease is rabies.
Cats and other felines, can act as reservoirs, carriers, transmitters and definitive hosts for many intestinal parasites. These animals play an important role in parasite transmission to human and other animals by shedding parasitic eggs, larvae, cyst or oocyst in their feces (2, 3).
Wash your hands after handling your companion animal and before touching your face. The areas around your nose and eyes are particularly sensitive to allergens.
Cats that are ill will usually show changes in overall appearance, energy level, sociability, coat appearance and/or amount of shedding, appetite, litterbox usage, breathing, or discharges from the eyes or nose. In general, any sudden change should alert you that your cat needs veterinary attention.
Cats in particular can be very sensitive to touch and will let you know if they're OK with a cuddle or stroking via body language. Purring is almost always a good sign, but turning away, trying to escape, scratching or hissing are signs that it's time to stop.
Whether the bite is from a family pet or an animal in the wild, scratches and bites can carry disease. Cat scratches, even from a kitten, can carry "cat scratch disease," a bacterial infection. Other animals can transmit rabies and tetanus. Bites that break the skin are even more likely to become infected.
Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection spread by cats. The disease spreads when an infected cat licks a person's open wound, or bites or scratches a person hard enough to break the surface of the skin.
In general, stray cats are shy and not dangerous if they are left alone. But if you attempt to catch or handle them, or if you come into contact with contaminated areas, there are risks. A stray cat is a cat that has at one point or another had a home but it has found itself either abandoned or lost.
In most cases, a person has to ingest parasite-laden feces in order to contract worms from an animal. Good common sense and hygiene greatly reduces the risk, Weese said. “The risk is never zero,” Weese said, “but I'm not convinced it's any higher for a vet than someone that goes for a walk in the park.”
Most people who become infected with Toxoplasma gondii are not aware of it because they have no symptoms at all. Some people who have toxoplasmosis may feel as if they have the “flu” with swollen lymph glands or muscle aches and pains that may last for a month or more.
It's a myth that cats won't care for kittens after you've touched them; however, if you hover around, she will likely move her kittens. Keep your distance and let her do the hard work of raising her babies.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that cats are rarely a source of disease, and that it is unlikely for anyone to get sick from touching or owning a cat.
T. gondii infects essentially all cats that spend any time outdoors. Cats get this parasite by eating small animals or raw meat that's infected. The parasite is then passed on through the cat's feces.
Only cats who ingest tissue cysts get infected. Within the feline population, this would be limited to outdoor cats who hunt and eat rodents, as well as cats who are fed raw meat by their owners.
If you're wondering about bathing a cat and whether it is really necessary, you may be glad to hear that cats actually have everything they need to keep themselves clean. Most cats, especially short-haired breeds, are excellent self-groomers, but you may need to bathe a cat in extreme circumstances.
Not only is scruffing a cat a counterproductive way of attempting to restrain or immobilize them, but it can also lead to a lack of trust between you and your feline. "People should never hold or restrain a cat by their scruff, as it could compromise their trust with the human handling them," say Dr. Miller.
Keep the litter tray clean
A litter tray needs the cat wee and poo removing as soon as you see it; the litter itself will need changing every couple of days. Never empty your cat litter tray into your kitchen bin – it needs to go straight outside.