Zoonotic Disease: What Can I Catch From My Cat?

[Casis]

Hi all,

I found this article is quite helpful for those who have cats like me....

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/broch...icDisease.html

Well, my cat loves to lick my face and my lips, like a dog does especially when I am waking up in the morning.. Sometimes he will touch my face gently with his paws when I asleep during daytime.. Some people said, it is ways of showing affection.

After reading the article, I think I have no choice to try not to let him kiss me or touch me, but then, it's too cute to stop him and actually I love it when he does that. I'm gonna miss that a lot.

[Maneki Neko]

Originally Posted by Casis

Hi all,

I found this article is quite helpful for those who have cats like me....

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/broch...icDisease.html

Well, my cat loves to lick my face and my lips, like a dog does especially when I am waking up in the morning.. Sometimes he will touch my face gently with his paws when I asleep during daytime.. Some people said, it is ways of showing affection.

After reading the article, I think I have no choice to try not to let him kiss me or touch me, but then, it's too cute to stop him and actually I love it when he does that. I'm gonna miss that a lot.

Hi, Casis -- other members have also posted this article in the past and mourned that they will miss letting their dogs and cats lick or touch them. Actually, especially if your cats are indoors, your risks of catching anything from them are very minimal. The last time forum member discussed this article, no one could think of a single instance of anyone catching a disease from a pet, apart from flea bites and the occasional ringworm infection.

My own opinion is that as long as you maintain a reasonable level of hygiene -- keeping litter boxes clean and washing hands regularly -- the affection you share with your cats is more beneficial to your health than harmful.