Study: Owning A Cat Could Increase Risk Of Developing Schizophrenia

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Milly, a 13-week-old kitten waits with her brother Charlie (L) to be re-homed at The Society for Abandoned Animals Sanctuary in Sale, Manchester which is facing an urgent cash crisis and possible closure on July 27, 2010 in Manchester, England. The Society for Abandoned Animals exists entirely on public support and unless it can raise GBP 50,000 in the next couple of months it will have to close down. The registered charity started in 1967 and in the last five years alone the charity has rescued and found homes for more than 1,000 cats, 290 rabbits and 262 dogs. The rescue centre is one of the many who are suffering a downfall in donations due to the economic recession. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
5:55 PM – Monday, December 4, 2023

A newly conducted review of 17 studies performed by researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, shows that owning a pet cat could potentially double a person’s risk of schizophrenia. 

Advertisement

Researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, administered a new review of 17 studies, which concluded that owning a cat is linked to a greater risk of developing schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that affects how people perceive and interact with reality, usually creating hallucinations, delusions, and social withdrawal.

The research team performed a meta-analysis of prior studies that have been published throughout the past 44 years from 11 different nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

As a result, the team discovered that those who have been exposed to cats before the age of 25 have about twice the risk of developing schizophrenia. 

In the report, scientists indicated the connection between cats and schizophrenia is likely due to a parasite regularly found in cats called “Toxoplasma gondii,” also known as T. gondii, which can access the body through a bite.

Scientists stated that the parasite can enter the central nervous system and impact neurotransmitters in the brain, resulting in personality changes, psychotic symptoms, and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. 

However, a U.S. study that was involved in the review, based on 354 students, did not find any correlation between cat ownership and schizotypy scale scores. On a schizophrenic scale, those who were bitten by a cat scored higher than the non-bitten group when individuals who had been bitten were compared.

A schizotypy scale is a questionnaire used to assess peculiar and disorderly thought patterns in order to help understand the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Another example included one British study that assessed cat exposure during childhood and between the ages of four and 10-years-old. As a result of the study, it was found that childhood behavior was associated with higher psychotic-like experiences at 13 years of age.

Although the exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, a combination of hereditary factors, aberrant brain chemistry, potential viral infections, and immune system problems are thought to be responsible for the disease. 

The connection between owning a cat and developing schizophrenia is still being examined, as other contributing factors like social and economic background and family history also play a role in developing the mental illness.

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts

Share this post!