Children Who Play with Cats Have a Very Slight Chance of Developing Mental Illness

Dogs and humans seem to have evolved to live together for each other’s survival, and one study supports it. According to the study, there is a significant decrease in the likelihood that a child will develop schizophrenia if he or she was exposed to dogs before turning 13 years old. The study was conducted by Dr. Robert Yolken and his colleagues at the Sheppard Pratt Health System.

Sadly, the same couldnot be said of cats. 

Owning pet cats slightly increases risk of mental disorder

In a massive blow to cat lovers, Yolken and his team have reported that owning a pet cat when you’re aged nine to 12 is linked with a slightly increased risk of developing bipolarity or schizophrenia when you get older.

Although the chances are low, the study's authors suggest it could be because of toxoplasmosis, a disease closely linked with a parasite in cats. 

Toxoplasmosis is a diseases caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that turns its human hosts into cat lovers. The parasite has been observed to alter behavior of infected mice, causing them to lose their fear of cats, resulting in them becoming easier prey for the felines.