INFOGRAPHIC on ‘train a cat to stay off the counter’

Training a cat to stay off the counter

There is an understandable desire by many cat owners to keep their cat companion off the kitchen counter. If this troubles you then the best way forward is through positive reinforcement training. You might be aware of that. The short Infographic on this page explains what I mean and is one example of how …

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Is toxoplasmosis a serious problem for humans?

Toxoplasma parasite engages in 'identity theft' of immune cell to travel around the host's body

There is a disconnect between what we read about the seriousness of toxoplasmosis as stated on the Internet and what we experience in real life. Nobody is screaming and shouting about the damaging effect of toxoplasmosis on the human population in any area of the world. But if you believe what you read on …

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Toxoplasmosis in wild animals is more common in places of higher human density

Map showing where T. gondii is most prevalent in wild animals

A study has found that the protozoan parasitic disease called toxoplasmosis is more commonly found in wild animals that live near or in humanly dense urban areas. The chain of events is the obvious one namely that the domestic cat is the primary vector for toxoplasmosis because the domestic cat sheds toxoplasma gondii (T. …

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How do I know if my cat has toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasma gondii cyst in mouse brain.

You might not know that your cat has toxoplasmosis because the most common signs are the signs of other illnesses such as lethargy and loss of appetite. However, “feline intestinal toxoplasmosis is usually asymptomatic”. This means that there are no signs but when there are symptoms it affects the lungs, lymphatic system, eyes, spinal …

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Can cats be vaccinated for toxoplasmosis?

Core vaccinations at animal shelters

No, at the moment, cats cannot be vaccinated for toxoplasmosis. There is a fairly recent study published online on the Science Direct website which provides some insights into the possibilities of a vaccination against this widespread disease. It is entitled, Prospects of toxoplasmosis controlled by cat vaccination (March 2020). I don’t think it’s helpful …

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Australian professor claims that toxoplasmosis from cats causes 200 fatal car accidents annually in Australia

Prof Sarah Legge

Professor Sarah Legge, of the Australian National University and the University of Queensland is the lead scientist of a team who carried out a study on the impact of diseases transmitted from cats to people on the Australian economy. These are zoonotic diseases. I’ve not seen the actual research paper but I don’t think …

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In Korea an outbreak of human toxoplasmosis was caused by ingesting food contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii protozoan

This is a recently published study on how prevalent the disease called toxoplasmosis is in Korean cats and dogs. It appears to have been carried out because of an outbreak of human toxoplasmosis which has been put down to eating food contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii. This is the most common way a person is …

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Can cats be tested for toxoplasmosis?

moggie cat

Cats can be tested for toxoplasmosis. Serologic tests including ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) will show if a cat has been exposed to the disease. A positive test in a healthy cat signifies that the cat has acquired active immunity. Such a cat is not a source of human contamination. For the sake of clarity …

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