We've all heard that there are diseases that we can catch from our pets, but how much do you really know about the risks? What measures can you take to keep your cat healthy so that you don't have to worry about such problems, and what sort of signs do you need to watch for?
Ringworm
This is not actually a worm, as the name implies. Ringworm is a fungal skin disease which gets its name from the ring-shaped lesion found on the skin of an affected human. Unfortunately, cats can be carriers of this fungal organism and may or may not have skin problems associated with it. Affected cats may have circular lesions like those found on humans, patchy scabs with or without hair loss, or general itchiness. Sometimes the biggest clue you can offer to your cat's diagnosis is 'who else in the household is having skin problems' because ringworm can affect all species. Spores come from the environment and are difficult to eliminate, but thorough treatment of everyone and everything in the household is essential to prevent reoccurrence.
Cat Scratch Fever
This disease is caused by the bacterial organism Bartonella. The disease is most common in the southwest, but is not unheard of in the northeast states. Most infected cats do not show clinical signs of illness, but the following may occur in the initial stages of infection: fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, enlarged lymph nodes, dizziness, and tremors. Special bloodwork is needed to test for exposure to the disease.
Bartonella is transmitted between cats and other animals by fleas, so good flea protection is essential to protect your cat. Obviously, indoor cats are at lower risk since they are isolated and therefore are less likely to be exposed to fleas.
Fleas bite the infected cat, ingest the bacteria, then excrete the bacteria in their feces onto the cat's skin, so when a flea-infested cat scratches itself the claws become coated with the bacteria. When the cat scratches a person, the bacteria are introduced into the wound and the person becomes infected.
Toxoplasmosis
Many women have been warned of this disease, which can cause severe birth defects if contracted during pregnancy. It is true that a good precaution is to have someone else clean the cat's litterbox while you;re pregnant, but there's more to know than that.
Toxoplasmosis is carried by cattle, hogs, rodents, and cats. Many more human cases occur due to ingestion of undercooked meat than by exposure to infected cats. The best way to keep your cat safe is not to feed it undercooked or raw meat and try to keep it from hunting. Again, indoor cats are at a lower risk for exposure. Cleaning the litterbox every day is also a good safety measure, since Toxoplasmosis oocysts in the litter require 24 hours before they sporulate and become infective.
Infected cats with clinical signs are usually immunosuppressed, meaning they likely suffer from another disease such as FIV or the feline leukemia virus which is interfering with their ability to fight off this disease. These cats may show signs of liver disease, respiratory disease, eye problems, GI problems and neurologic problems. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, but cats with a suppressed immune system may not recover well from other underlying illnesses.
This column describes only the potential signs of illness in cats and steps you can take to minimize the chance of your cat being exposed to these diseases. For information on how these diseases may impact human health, please contact your physician.