Cats have been linked to everything from allergies, bites and even deadly diseases.
Bites from our feline friends make up around 15 per cent of animal bites treated in hospitals and are not usually deep, however, they can cause serious infections.
The bacteria Pasteurella multocida is in the mouths of around 90 per cent of healthy cats. In most cases, infection causes just redness, swelling, pain and difficulty moving the affected area.
Yet, in severe incidences, people can suffer nerve damage and a build up of pus within tissues, known as an abscess.
Cats are also carriers of the bacteria Bartonella henselae, which can cause scratch fever. Symptoms include headache, reduced appetite and exhaustion.
Dr Howard Gittelman, director of Animal Medical of New City, told Healthline: ‘Cats contract Bartonella henselae predominantly from the bites of fleas. It causes streaking of the arms and swollen lymph nodes.
‘If someone who is immunosuppressed or on chemotherapy gets bitten by a cat that is a carrier of Bartonella, they should be concerned and seek treatment.’
Cats are also the natural hosts for the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. Felines carry millions of the parasite’s eggs in their faeces.
Although toxoplasmosis is usually harmless, if a pregnant woman catches the infection for the first time, she may suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Toxoplasmosis has also been associated with damage to unborn babies’ organs, particularly their eyes.