At present, relatives are opposing pet raising more and more. The most common rhetoric they use is, "Cats are full of bacteria, don't take them home to spread them to us." In fact, zoonotic diseases are not a terrible thing, but many p...
At present, relatives are opposing pet raising more and more. The most common rhetoric they use is, "Cats are full of bacteria, don't take them home to spread them to us." In fact, zoonotic diseases are not a terrible thing, but many people are afraid because they don’t understand it, but when you truly understand it, you won’t feel so terrible and helpless. Today I will talk to you about the common zoonotic diseases that cats may carry and the simple precautions you can take.
Zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted from living animals to humans. It is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, prions and fungi. It can not only be transmitted to humans through animals, but may also be transmitted indirectly through ticks or mosquitoes.
moss, also known as dermatosis, is a fungal infection of the skin that can infect animals and humans. The infected area shows a red section and then spreads to other parts, which may be other parts such as scalp, feet, groin, beard, etc. Anyone may suffer from cat moss. Prevention methods include: washing your hair after contact with your pet, disinfecting and cleaning your living area, and avoiding close contact with cats with cats with moss.
Fleas are the most common parasites. Their bites will cause itching and inflammation in both the cat.
·Brand cat food with normal feeding ingredients.
·Avoid feeding raw bones and meat that have not been frozen or domestically produced meat, and it is best to cook and feed.
·Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw meat.
·Regular deworming work. If the cat often goes outdoors, the deworming interval should be shortened.
Toxoplasma gondii
This is an infection caused by parasites. It usually occurs in cat feces or raw meat, especially venison, lamb and pork. If a cat eats infected animals, they may not get sick because they resist the infection, but they still exist in the feces. Toxoplasma infection may cause fever, enlarged lymph nodes, headaches, muscle pain, sore throat, etc. We should pay attention to the cleaning of cat litter box to avoid Toxoplasma infection.
Rabies
This is a very familiar type of viral infection. The problems that rabies may cause are fatal. It is transmitted through bites, scratches or mucosa exposure to infected animals. Although most viruses only infect the host, rabies is an exception. Cats are very sensitive to rabies. When they attack the central nervous system, they can cause various signs and are almost fatal. When cats are often outdoors or have access to dogs, it is best to get a rabies vaccine injection to reduce the risk of rabies.
Plague (Rare)
Plague is usually transmitted by mice, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and groundhogs, and can also be transmitted by scratches or bites from infected domestic cats. Bubonic plague can infect the lymphatic system, causing inflammation of the lymph nodes, and when not treated, it can enter the blood (causing sepsis plague) or the lungs (causing pulmonary plague). 2-6 days after infection, symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain, epilepsy, etc. will appear.
Cat Scratch Heat (Rare)
This is a bacterial infection caused by a bacteria called Bartonite that can be carried in the saliva and fleas of infected cats. Why is it called "cat scratching heat", as the name suggests, this bacteria is usually transmitted to humans through scratches, and in addition to bites, cats licking human wounds, etc. These bacteria are usually transmitted by bites from infected fleas.
People with cat scratching heat usually experience swelling and blisters on bites or scratches, accompanied by pain, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. And it lasts for a long time, healthy adults may completely disappear after a few months, but people with damaged immune systems will face eye, brain and heart infections, which will cause very serious consequences.
So for us, it is very important to avoid cat scratches or bites, and we should wash our hands after playing and help cats deworm their insects in time to control fleas. These can reduce the risk of infection in cats with heat.
·AIDS patients
·Receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy
·Aged or people with chronic diseases
·People with congenital immunodeficiency at birth
·After organ or bone marrow transplant
·Pregnant women (the fetus's immune system has not yet fully developed)
How can we reduce the risk of symptoms?
In fact, these high risks do not mean that we need to give up raising cats, but that we need to take basic preventive measures! For example, regular physical examinations for cats, frequent hand washing, and avoid direct contact with the cat's feces.
Finally, let's take a look at these simple prevention guides:
·Don't put cat litter box, feces, etc. in the kitchen, living room, etc., and the area where food can be exposed.
·Try to use disposable cat litter box and replace it every time you need to clean it.
Clean the litter box with hot water at least twice a month and soak the litter box in hot water for at least five minutes.
·Wear disposable gloves every time you clean, discard them after use, and wash your hands thoroughly.
·Of course, it is best to let people without risk help cats shovel!
Note: Cats may also be infected with human diseases, such as influenza and food poisoning, but these conditions are very rare.
