A good snuggle with a cat can improve anyone’s day — well, assuming you don’t have allergies. But like any other animal, our domestic felines can carry diseases, and sometimes those illnesses pass to us.
Updated guidelines from the American Association of Feline Practitioners include a list of which diseases cat owners might be at risk for.
The 36 diseases listed don’t include every possible feline zoonotic pathogen — those that can pass from cats to humans — but they do represent the large majority of diseases one might encounter with cats, says Michael Lappin, a veterinarian with Colorado State University and coauthor on the report.
Overall, the prevalence of diseases contracted from cats is low, says Lappin, though frequencies vary depending on the country, region and pathogen. Other good news: There are straightforward steps people can take to keep everyone healthy.Illnesses can pass from cats to humans via direct ...
