Beware of cat bug that can make us reckless

I’VE written quite a bit about our dog, Tari, but I also love cats, especially our cat, Finn (who sadly died a couple of years ago at the impressive age of 19).

The one drawback with cats is that some carry a bizarre parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. While it doesn’t seem to harm cats themselves, once Toxoplasma gondii infects other animals it can change their behaviour.

A mouse, for example, starts behaving very strangely. Instead of hiding away, it will flaunt itself, almost begging to be eaten by a passing cat. That’s because the parasite, now in the mouse’s brain, wants that mouse to be eaten by a cat in order to continue its own life cycle. The most likely way for humans to get infected is from cat litter. If you catch it during pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage or birth defects; in people with poor immunity it can lead to life-threatening brain or lung diseases.

For the rest of us the effects of Toxoplasma infection should be mild. That said, it may make us more reckless.

When researchers at the Charles University in the Czech Republic analysed blood samples of nearly 4,000 military conscripts, those with antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were up to six times more likely to go on to have a road traffic accident than those who hadn’t been exposed to the parasite. The good news is that in many countries (including the UK) infection rates are declining, reports the Royal Veterinary College in London. The bad news is that because people are no longer getting it when young, there’s an increased risk of getting it later in life, when it’s more dangerous. So if you’re pregnant or immunocompromised, be wary of cat poo — always use gloves, or preferably get someone else to clear up the mess.