Having a Cat Can Benefit New-borns

Copenhagen: The gene types that normally double the risk of asthma are neutralised when families with new-borns have a cat. This is the result of a study from the Danish Pediatric Asthma Center conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital and Næstved Hospital. The study has been published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Watching "so cute" cats online videos lowers stress and makes you happy

TheConversation: Watching cute cat videos and looking at their online pictures may not be a waste of time. A new study has found doing so could boost energy levels and increase feelings of happiness. Published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior the study even suggests that watching internet cats could be used as a form of digital pet therapy or stress relief. Internet data shows two million cat videos were posted on YouTube as of 2014, totalling nearly 26 billion views. Celebrity cats – such as Grumpy Cat and and Lil BUB – have also sprung up on social media, garnering mass followings.

Does owning a cat put your family at risk of schizophrenia?

NHS: “Scientists have discovered a link between people who own cats and the development of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, and believe a parasite may be to blame,” The Independent reports.
The researchers suggest that toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a type of parasite found on infected cats, may be a cause of developing mental illness in later life. T. gondii was blamed for children’s poor reading skills in a study we analysed earlier this month. The parasite has also been linked to an increased risk of suicide, as we discussed back in 2012. This latest study used data from over 2,000 families in the United States to look at the number of people who were living with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and owned a cat in childhood. This data was compared to findings of previous studies, conducted by the same study group, with the aim of confirming a link.

Cats blamed for children’s poor reading skills

NHS: "Cats could be making children stupid," reports the Daily Telegraph. It says that a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which is carried by cats, could be affecting performance at school. Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite that can be found in many mammals, including cats. It can be contracted by humans if they come into contact with the faeces of infected cats, or by consuming contaminated food or water. An infection with Toxoplasma gondii is known as toxoplasmosis.

Is childhood cat ownership a risk factor for schizophrenia later in life?

Schizophrenia Research:"Two previous studies suggested that childhood cat ownership is a possible risk factor for later developing schizophrenia or other serious mental illness. The results of a recent study are the same, suggesting that cat ownership in childhood is significantly more common in families in which the child later becomes seriously mentally ill. If true, an explanatory mechanism may be Toxoplasma gondii."