People usually contract T. gondii in two ways -- by eating the undercooked flesh of infected animals or through contact with cat feces. First, cats cause problems to the health of human beings. Additionally, felines can create serious physical harm to the human body. Cats have been known to act dangerously towards humans and inflict pain upon them, creating an unsafe environment within the home, making cats not an ideal choice of pet to obtain.

Foremost, cats have promoted significant health issues that occur within the human body. Cats have a germ within their body known as Toxoplasma gondii that is considered harmful to humans. “People usually contract T. gondii in two ways -- by eating the undercooked flesh of infected animals or through contact with cat feces,” (“Germ in Cat Feces May Affect Human Brain, Behavior: Study”). When completing a task such as cleaning a cat’s litter box, humans often come into direct contact with the parasite. In addition, many people have contracted T. gondii throughout the world. “Between 30 and 50 percent of the world’s population is believed to be infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite,” (“Germ in Cat Feces May Affect Human Brain, Behavior: Study”). When a person comes into contact with this particular parasite, it travels directly to the brain. Once the parasite has reached the brain, mental illnesses and other significant symptoms have been tied back to this germ. “Some studies have shown that mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety are more common in people with toxoplasmosis,” (“Germ in Cat Feces May Affect Human Brain, Behavior: Study”). These mental illnesses create much hardship and discomfort for the person that who has obtained them, making it dangerous to be around a cat. In conclusion, having a cat in the home is dangerous to the health of the humans that surround themselves with a cat.

Next, cats can cause significant harm to the human body: both in life and in death. Cats have been known to destroy human flesh. “Cats get a bad rap for being the most eager to eat their owners,” (Engelhaupt). Cats have been known to quite literally ingest human flesh, causing serious bodily harm. When cats are left alone without someone to provide food for them, often in the case of the death of an owner, a cat will eat their former caretaker. “Anecdotally, some emergency responders say it’s pretty common,” (Engelhaupt). This can occur to an owner when they are living alone, and the feline they have just left behind has no way to care for itself. When a cat senses that their only caretaker has died, they begin to freak out and immediately will begin to eat the human in an effort to save themselves. “When it happens, cats tend to go for the face, especially soft parts such as the nose or lips, says forensic anthropologist Carolyn Rando of University College London,” (Engelhaupt). Cats are often attracted to the face, as we know from the way that they will swat your face with their paw to wake you up in bed, for example. To conclude, cats can cause a considerable amount of damage to the body of a human.

On the flip side, some believe that cats indeed make quite wonderful pets, and do not see the dangers of keeping a cat, as they choose to keep them within the home environment. In fact, cats are so loved by some people, that multiple cats are kept as pets within a single household. “Cats have an instinct for locating humans with the kindest of hearts, which is likely why so many cat lovers have more than one cat,” (Spadafori and Pion, 273). Cat owners like to find a cat they can connect with, since cats have a sense of locating their owner. Cats are also loved by so many that the population of cats as a pet overtakes the population of dogs. “The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 65 million cats are kept as pets, as opposed to 50 million dogs,” (Spadafori and Pion, 274). However, this statistic likely exits because of the fact that most households own only one dog, while cat owners are more likely to have multiple cats, instead of a single one. Multicat homes then become more prone to the issues listed above as well as health issues between the cats living together. “Some of the most difficult health challenges to get a handle in a multicat household involve parasites,” (Spadafori and Pion, 283). Parasites now become a much larger issue when you mix parasites coming from multiple cats together, under the same roof. As you can see, the dangers and difficulties involved in owning a cat are noteworthy, and become increasingly multiplied as you increase the number of cats living in the same home, at the same time.

In conclusion, keeping a cat within your household, as a pet, can be very dangerous. First, a parasite found in cats can be detrimental to the health of humans. In addition, cats can cause physical harm to the body of a human, which makes them dangerous to be around. In conclusion, we should be aware of the pets that we are keeping in our homes and make sure that we know all of the effects that containing an animal within our homes can have on our health and comfort as a person. Before you go pick up your furry friend at the animal shelter, make sure you know all of the precautions and responsibilities that come with being a pet owner.

Works Cited

Dell'amore, Christine. “What Do Cats Think About Us? You May Be Surprised.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 28 Jan. 2014. 

Engelhaupt, Erika. “Would Your Dog Eat You If You Died? Get the Facts.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 23 June 2017. 

“Germ in Cat Feces May Affect Human Brain, Behavior: Study.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 10 Dec. 2012, 2:00 p.m.. 

Spadafori, Gina, and Paul D. Pion. Cats for Dummies. Hungry Minds, 2000.