Cats lovers: Be careful with the depression

Pets give us love and unconditional support when we feel alone. There is no chance that those tiny creatures can actually caused us feeling sad in any way… right?

A research directed by Doctor Teodor Postolache, psychiatrist who works in the University of Marylan in the school of medicine, has showed that the Toxoplasma gondii parasite can cause deep depression and suicide. Of course, the research hasn’t finished yet, scientist keep on finding connections between people who is affected by this parasite and mental diseases.

Suicide is almost one of the most common death causes nowadays, finding out that women who are infected are one and half times more likely to commit suicide.

T. gondii can be found in none-cleaned vegetables, or chicken, but it’s specially presented in our kitty’s litter.  This bacterium gets hided in our muscles and brain, causing no symptoms. About a third of the women this research tested (45.000 were the total) was found infected by this parasite.

The infection itself it’s called toxoplasmosis, and it’s also associated to schizophrenia or changes in the behavior.

Therefore, our cats can cause depression if we are not careful enough when we take care of their “restrooms”. Personally, I have three cats and keep them clean is essential to stay away from all this kind of infections we are exposed when we have animals.

Do you have pets? Do you agree with the idea of a careful owner won’t have any problems? Would you pay more attention to your vegetables and chicken the next time you clean them?

(source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9371006/Cat-ladies-more-likely-to-commit-suicide-scientists-claim.html)