A new review suggests that having a cat as a pet could potentially double a person's risk of schizophrenia-related disorders.
Australian researchers conducted an analysis of 17 studies published during the last 44 years, from 11 countries including the US and the UK.
"We found an association between broadly defined cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders," writes psychiatrist John McGrath and fellow researchers, all from the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.
This idea that cat ownership could be linked to schizophrenia risk was proposed in a 1995 study, with exposure to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii suggested as a cause. But the research so far has put forth mixed conclusions.
www.sciencealert.com
Australian researchers conducted an analysis of 17 studies published during the last 44 years, from 11 countries including the US and the UK.
"We found an association between broadly defined cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders," writes psychiatrist John McGrath and fellow researchers, all from the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.
This idea that cat ownership could be linked to schizophrenia risk was proposed in a 1995 study, with exposure to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii suggested as a cause. But the research so far has put forth mixed conclusions.

Mysterious Link Between Owning Cats And Schizophrenia Is Real, Study Says
A new review suggests that having a cat as a pet could potentially double a person's risk of schizophrenia-related disorders.
