Science explains why crazy people have tons of cats
10 replies
Phinperorluxury_boxOPForget curing cancer . . . I like when scientists spend their time trying to figure out why owning 15 cats eventually makes a woman start talking in gibberish and eating garbage. And now, we have a possible answer.
Kevin Lafferty is a parasite ecologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and he's made a VERY weird discovery about cats. When you have a pet cat, it can INFECT YOUR BRAIN with a parasite.
Cats can infect people and other animals with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii . . . and that parasite goes straight to the brain and MESSES with your personality. You get the parasite from handling your cat's droppings.
It's good for cats when they're in the wild. If a mouse gets infected by the parasite . . . usually by EATING cat feces . . . it makes the mouse more adventurous, so he has no problem hanging around closer to cats. Then . . . the cats can EAT him.
For humans, it's a little bit different. The parasite causes personality changes . . . mostly ones that will make you a better owner toward the cat.
Women who get infected tend to be warm, outgoing, and attentive. Men get LESS intelligent and more BORING.
But . . . people who are exposed to the parasite a lot, like someone who owns a ton of cats, can end up developing SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Now, this doesn't mean you should get rid of your cats. Lafferty says that most cats won't end up passing the parasite on to humans . . . especially if you keep your cats from chewing on random diseased animals, and you're careful around his droppings.
.........
hmm my mother in law has 2 cats that poop a lot :headscratch:
makes sense
MikeHonchosubscriberWhew. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just go back to playing with my dog's sh**.
Headcoach material wouldn’t want to work somewhere they’re not trusted with actual football decisions.
unluckylucianoNew Memberso people with cats tend to be creative.............. given the other article posted.
thanks to VO for the sick ass sigs. 
Charlie: If you're not as educated or as informed what you do is you start your own party and you yell the loudest.
MerauderNew MemberI just gave my cat the death stare.
NaboCaneNew MemberYeah, this is about right.
maynardNew Memberinteresting. i would imagine that if you have indoor cats and wash your hands after changing the litter, your risk goes down to almost zero
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." GRRM, ADWD
NaboCaneNew Member"maynard wrote:
interesting. i would imagine that if you have indoor cats and wash your hands after changing the litter, your risk goes down to almost zero
Exactly. In these "studies," they have to factor in not only people with common sense but people (like I have personally observed) who don't even wash their OWN hands after pooping.
Jaydog57forum_veteranI've got 2 cat's and I've never 'handled' their ****. I've got a scooper for that. And I wash my hands afterwards anyways. Sounds like Lafferty has spent too much time smoking catnip.
bigbryNew MemberForget curing cancer . . . I like when scientists spend their time trying to figure out why owning 15 cats eventually makes a woman start talking in gibberish and eating garbage. And now, we have a possible answer.
Kevin Lafferty is a parasite ecologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and he's made a VERY weird discovery about cats. When you have a pet cat, it can INFECT YOUR BRAIN with a parasite.
Cats can infect people and other animals with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii . . . and that parasite goes straight to the brain and MESSES with your personality. You get the parasite from handling your cat's droppings.
It's good for cats when they're in the wild. If a mouse gets infected by the parasite . . . usually by EATING cat feces . . . it makes the mouse more adventurous, so he has no problem hanging around closer to cats. Then . . . the cats can EAT him.
For humans, it's a little bit different. The parasite causes personality changes . . . mostly ones that will make you a better owner toward the cat.
Women who get infected tend to be warm, outgoing, and attentive. Men get LESS intelligent and more BORING.
But . . . people who are exposed to the parasite a lot, like someone who owns a ton of cats, can end up developing SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Now, this doesn't mean you should get rid of your cats. Lafferty says that most cats won't end up passing the parasite on to humans . . . especially if you keep your cats from chewing on random diseased animals, and you're careful around his droppings.
Copy, print and send to the Crazy cat lady that lives down the street.
:yes:
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