Strangle a child
In March of this year, in the Ukrainian city of Ostrog, a cat strangled a baby. According to the Rivne Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care, a four-month-old boy was lying in a stroller without signs of life. When his parents found him, a cat was sleeping on the baby's face.
“Apparently, in this case there was no direct aggression from the cat to the child. Cats kill their victims - rodents and birds - with a bite to the neck. Here the baby slept, and the cat lay on him and blocked the access of oxygen to the respiratory tract. The child could not roll over and scare the animal by screaming. Cats are not as intellectually developed, they do not understand cause and effect relationships, and we should not expect this from them. There are also frequent stories among people when parents crushed their children while sleeping on the same bed. Sleeping adults, especially when intoxicated, have poor control of their body and are often insensitive to their surroundings,” says veterinary neurologist and behavioral medicine physician Lyudmila Konikova .
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Many cats love to sleep with children. They are attracted to the warmth and smell of milk, sometimes it is just curiosity.
“Usually cats are sensitive to the condition, especially children. But anything can happen: either the cat is young and not smart enough (like people, cats are different). She’s warmed up and doesn’t want to leave, or the child is sick, and she heals him with her vibrations (while purring),” says Tamara Emelyanova, president of the International Feline Association “Rus” (FARUS).
Even if a cat slept on a child, this is not always the direct cause of his death.
“There is sudden infant death syndrome. An autopsy shows respiratory arrest. If there was a cat nearby at that moment, she will be blamed. There were cases when a child was strangled by a father who was tired of screaming, and then blamed it on the animal, says animal engineer Anastasia Kalinina . — Leaving any pet alone with a child under two years of age is not recommended. A child may unknowingly hurt the animal, and it will scratch or bite him.”
Symptom of cat scratches
Statistically, this is the most common problem. Cat owners experience scratches very often. It's common for small kittens to scratch. Traces of their claws can provoke the development of itching and redness. If bacteria enter damaged skin, an inflammatory process begins, which is accompanied by :
- high temperature;
- joint and headaches;
- fatigue;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
The majority of people recover from scratches fairly quickly.
Unexpected aggression
Cats can be dangerous for the owner even if they behave aggressively. But, as a rule, cats never attack just like that. This is due to either illness or improper interaction between the cat and the person.
“In most cases, aggression in cats occurs due to fear, which is a consequence of a stressful situation. For example, if you stepped on a cat’s tail, it got scared, hissed, and when you tried to calm it down, it attacked. The stronger the fear, the stronger the aggression, the more serious the injuries it can cause. The best thing we can do in such a situation is to leave the cat alone, give it time to calm down and come to its senses,” explained zoopsychologist, felinologist, veterinarian, specialist in cat behavior correction Elena Melnikova .
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Aggression can also be associated with protection of offspring, pain or play habits.
“A cat can protect her offspring and, if a person reaches out to her kittens, attack him. This reaction is due to the release of oxytocin. Aggression can occur when we pet a cat against its will. And this is not always obvious to the owner. The cat can come to him to lie next to him on the sofa. The owner will begin to stroke, and the cat will begin to bite in response. It's like if we went to a cafe with a young man and he started kissing. We just wanted to chat, we weren’t ready for intimate touches, so we reacted negatively. Cats are very self-sufficient and watch their boundaries. They do not like stroking from strangers and have a certain limit of touching even from their owner. Sometimes aggression is associated with pain. For example, an older animal may have pain in the joints, back or head. It may have difficulty seeing and begin to bite if it is suddenly and unexpectedly touched or picked up. Occasionally, the causes of aggression are diseases of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), types of epilepsy or brain tumors. “Play” aggression is often encountered: a cat has been taught since childhood to play with its arms and legs, and it perceives them as a toy and hunts for them. To prevent this, you need to play with animals with teaser rods and provide them with sufficient physical activity,” said Lyudmila Konikova.
Dangers to humans
There are breeds of dangerous cats that are naturally susceptible to various diseases. Cats are capable of carrying various types of diseases. Diseases from cats are transmitted to humans and pose a great danger to them. In particular, this applies to pregnant women, small children, allergy sufferers and people with weak immune systems.
© shutterstock
Disease carriers
Another danger that can come from pets is various infections and diseases.
“Cats can carry diseases that are deadly to humans, such as leptospirosis and rabies, so animals must be vaccinated annually and prevented from straying and their contact with street relatives. The likelihood of contracting worms from a cat is low. For prevention, especially after the summer season or when living in rural areas, it is worth giving anthelmintics for round and simple worms every 3-6 months. There is also toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease that is especially dangerous for pregnant women and people suffering from immunodeficiency. Cats are the final hosts of this parasite (it multiplies in their bodies), and intermediate hosts can be people, rodents, birds and livestock. You can become infected through contact with soil, through unwashed fruits or vegetables, undercooked meat, eggs, blood or saliva. Kittens are often carriers of ringworm. It is fairly easy to diagnose and treat. Cat scratch fever is caused by bacteria. First, the scratch site becomes inflamed, then the infection travels through the bloodstream to the lymph nodes, and the temperature rises. Prevention - trim the claws or put caps on them, treat scratches and bites with an antiseptic. People may also be allergic to the saliva and epidermis of cats,” says animal engineer Anastasia Kalinina.
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How dangerous are cats for humans?
Just like humans, cats tend to get sick, so they can also become carriers of various diseases.
It often happens that a pet becomes a carrier of one or another infection, but does not get sick. Therefore, a cat in the house can become a significant threat to human health and life. But to complete the picture, it is worth noting that most diseases pets get from the owner himself, since apartment pets do not roam the street like we do. And we do this very often and constantly come into contact with various bacteria, as well as viruses. Contents
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- 1. Basic rules for keeping a cat:
- 2. Diseases of cats that are transmitted to humans:
- 3. Rabies
- 4. Ringworm
- 5. Worms
- 6. Toxoplasmosis
- 7. Tuberculosis
- 8. How dangerous is a cat for humans, video:
Basic rules for keeping a cat:
- 1. Hygiene. It is very important. After handling your pet or cleaning its litter box, you should wash your hands thoroughly.
- 2. Immediately after you have purchased a cat, get all the necessary tests (for worm eggs, toxoplasmosis, and chlamydia). Do not forget about vaccinations and periodic prevention of worms.
- 3. Rodents are carriers of dangerous diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the pet from communicating with them, especially since hunting is inherent in the nature of cats, and a rare cat, having noticed a mouse, will resist the desire to catch it.
- 4. Choose only high-quality food for your pet.
- 5. If you notice any symptoms of illness in your cat, contact your veterinarian immediately.
See also: Ringworm in cats: how to notice and treat in time
Diseases of cats that are transmitted to humans:
Now let’s look at what diseases pets can carry, and why they are dangerous for humans (a more detailed article is available at
Rabies
This is a dangerous disease that is caused by a neurotropic virus and is most often transmitted through an animal bite, that is, when the animal’s mucous membrane comes into contact with blood.
person. Rabies affects the central nervous system and manifests itself in photophobia, increased aggression, and paralysis of individual muscles. Rabies is incurable. If a person is bitten by a rabid animal, then all that can be done is to wash the wound and administer a specific anti-rabies serum. But it is advisable to do this no later than on the third day after the bite. Otherwise, death is inevitable.
See also: Why do cats need vaccinations?
Lichen
This is a disease in which pathogenic fungi cause lesions on the skin and coat. This disease in cats is difficult to miss, because it is characterized by bald patches on the coat. Such bald patches can be all over their body. Exposed areas of the animal's skin may be red and covered in scales. A cat that has shingles is contagious not only to another cat, but also to humans.
Worms
Worms can be found in any organ of the animal, but most often they live in the intestines. A person can become infected with helminths by neglecting hygiene rules. Children and kittens are most susceptible to helminthiasis. It is necessary to systematically deworm cats even if the cat does not leave the house, because it can become infected by eating, for example, a fly.
See also: Heterochromia in cats - what is it - a disease or an unusual anomaly
Toxoplasmosis
The carriers of this disease are animals and birds. A person can become infected by eating insufficiently cooked meat and accidentally ingesting oocysts.
Symptoms: elevated body temperature, gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders, eye damage.
Most often, a cat can get sick from this disease without showing any symptoms at all, so this is a rather insidious disease, since if you come into contact with an apparently healthy cat, you risk getting sick. Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it causes abortions and damage to the fetus.
Tuberculosis
This is an infectious disease. Tuberculosis is a very rare disease among cats, but it still occurs. Therefore, if you notice your cat is lethargic, upset, coughing or sneezing, consult a doctor immediately.
How dangerous is a cat for humans, video:
Salmonellosis
A specific disease carried by cats. The causative agent of salmonellosis is the Salmonella parasite. Microorganisms live in the cat's body if cats eat raw foods. To protect your cat and house residents from salmonellosis, you will need to feed your pet exclusively processed or carefully prepared foods. You should also keep the animal indoors and not let it go outside to hunt. When cleaning the cat litter, it is recommended to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap after the procedure.
Ringworm
A type of fungus that the owner becomes infected with from a cat, resulting in a skin infection as a reward. An animal usually picks up a fungus in a house if several pets live in it . They endure the disease for a long time. However, the cat itself does not show any symptoms. It is quite difficult to recover from ringworm. Cats can infect a person with a fungus, and the owner will not even guess where the disease comes from.
© shutterstock
A sick cat should be isolated. After the course of treatment, in the absence of pathological symptoms, the room must be disinfected.
The benefits of cats in the house
American scientists claim that cats are good for human health, their purring relaxes and calms. A domestic cat has a beneficial effect on the human nervous system and psychological state. It relieves stress well and improves mood. Affects blood vessels and the heart. Reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, hypertension.
If a child grows up next to a domestic cat from childhood, then antibodies against fur arise in his body. In the future, this reduces the risk of developing allergic diseases, bronchial asthma and other respiratory diseases. The benefit of cats for humans also lies in their pain-relieving effect. Lovers of these animals claim that when the stomach hurts, the pet lies down there, begins to purr, and the pain goes away. This applies to pain anywhere. That is, cats have a pronounced therapeutic effect and cats bring enormous benefits.
Content Rules
A fluffy dog with a long coat should be combed daily by its owner.
Cats are very useful for humans and do not require special care. If the animal has long hair, then you need to comb the hair regularly. It is also necessary to carry out daily hygiene of the oral cavity, ears, nose, and eyes. Bath as needed. Monitor the cat's health. You need to trim your nails at least once a week. For active animals that will grind them down themselves, install a scratching post. Before you get a kitten, you need to purchase the basic items for comfortable keeping in the house. Buy more toys, a scratching post, a house in which the pet will rest, a tray, bowls for food and water.
In order for your cat to bring only benefits, you need to get vaccinated on schedule. The first vaccination is at 8-12 weeks, after 1 month - revaccination. Then repeated vaccinations annually. They protect cats from various diseases. They need to be done even if the pet does not walk outside. Because the owner can bring the infection home on his shoes.
