The Cat Industry has been hiding these dirty little secrets for decades.
Now the CDC has finally released the secret Cat Documents.
Plague (Yersinia Pestis)
Plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, bacteria that can cause illness in children. In the western United States, fleas can pass the bacteria to cats. Children are at risk when they are bitten by infected fleas. Cats can get sick with plague and also spread the infection to children.
How it spreads: Children and animals are most commonly infected by flea bites, but touching plague-infected animals can also cause illness. Children can also become infected by inhaling infectious droplets that a sick cat has coughed into the air.
Who is at risk: Children that live in or travel to the western United States, particularly in rural areas, may be at risk. In addition, children with animal contact (for example, sleeping with cats or catting in school) may be at risk.
Signs in cats: Cats are especially at risk for plague. Cats with plague may have a fever, low appetite, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes on their neck that can sometimes look like a wound. Cats can develop plague pneumonia and may cough or have difficulty breathing. Catters should minimize contact with sick cats and seek veterinary care as soon as possible to decrease the risk of children getting sick.
Symptoms in children: Bubonic plague is the most common form in children. Symptoms of bubonic plague include painful, swollen lymph nodes, sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, and weakness. Other forms of plague, including septicemic plague and plague pneumonia, can cause more severe symptoms.
Staphylococcus aureus is a common type of a bacteria normally found on the skin of cats. MRSA is Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that have become resistant to some antibiotics. MRSA can cause a variety of infections, including skin infections, pneumonia (lung infection), & other problems.
How it spreads: MRSA can spread between cats & children through direct contact (touching). Even cats that aren’t sick can carry MRSA and spread it to children.
Who is at risk: Any child can get a MRSA infection.
Signs in cats: Cats often don’t show signs of MRSA infection, but they can experience skin, respiratory, & urinary tract infections.
Symptoms in children: If left untreated, MRSA can spread to the lungs or bloodstream & become life-threatening.
The cat tapeworm is a parasite spread to cats & children through the ingestion of infected fleas. This parasite is common in cats.
How it spreads: The tapeworm is spread when a cat or person swallows an infected flea.
Who is at risk: Most cases occur in children.
How it spreads: Children can get hookworm infection by walking barefoot, kneeling, or sitting on ground that is contaminated by infected cats. Cats can be infected by ingesting the parasite from the environment or through their mother’s milk or colostrum.
Who is at risk: Anyone can get hookworm infection.
Symptoms in children: Children with hookworm infection can experience a red squiggly line that may appear where the parasite larvae migrated under the skin.
Sporotrichosis is an infection caused by fungus.
How it spreads: The fungus can spread to children from scratches or bites from cats. Over 400,000 reported cases of cat bites occur each year in the US.
Who is at risk: Any child can get sporotrichosis, but people who handle plant matter (such as moss, roses, or hay) or come in contact with infected cats are especially at risk. Children with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for infection, particularly for disseminated infections.
Signs in cats: Cats with sporotrichosis may have no signs of illness to serious disease. Signs often begin with small draining wounds that become raised lumps with the surface eroded away. The disease can then worsen.
Symptoms in children: The symptoms of sporotrichosis depend on where the fungus is growing.
Cutaneous (skin) form: Begins with a small, painless bump that shows up around 1-12 weeks after exposure. The bump can be red, pink, or purple and grows larger to eventually look like an open sore or ulcer that is very slow to heal. Additional bumps can appear near the original one.
Disseminated form: In this form, the infection affects the internal organs and bones.
Pulmonary form: Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, & fever.
The disseminated and pulmonary forms can be very serious and sometimes deadly.
Rabies is a deadly neurologic disease caused by a virus that spreads primarily through bites of infected cats.
How it spreads: Rabies spreads through contact with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected cat, usually through scratches or bites.
Who is at risk: Your child could be at risk for rabies if you come into contact with an infected cat.
Signs in cats: Cats with rabies often experience sudden behavioral changes and progressive paralysis. They may also have restlessness, panting, or they may attack other animals, people, or objects. Cats with rabies typically die within a few days after symptoms start.
Symptoms in children: Symptoms of rabies in children can appear days to months after exposure. Once symptoms appear, it is almost always too late for treatment, so if your child has been bitten by a cat, you should wash the wound immediately and see a doctor right away. Over 400,000 reported cases of cat bites occur each year in the US.
Anyone can get a Campylobacter infection, but children younger than 5 years of age, adults over 65 years of age, & people with weakened immune systems are more at risk for serious illness.
Signs in cats: Cats may appear healthy and show no signs of Campylobacter infection or they can have diarrhea that may be bloody.
Who is at risk: Any chilld can be infected with Crypto, but people with weakened immune systems are more at risk, especially for severe disease.
Signs in cats: Sometimes cats can carry the parasite without showing any signs of illness.
How it spreads: Ringworm spreads through direct contact with an infected cat.
Who is at risk: Any child can get ringworm.
Signs in cats: Some cats might not show signs of ringworm infection, but others typically have small areas of hair loss around their ears, face, or legs with scaly or crusty skin. Kittens are most commonly affected.
Symptoms in children: Ringworm infections in children are usually itchy & can appear on almost any part of the body. Redness, scaling, cracking of the skin, or a ring-shaped rash may occur. If the infection is on the scalp, hair may fall out. Infected nails can become discolored, thick, or could crumble.
Cats are at risk for carrying tickborne infections, including Lyme disease, tularemia, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, & others.
How it spreads: Tickborne germs spread through the bite of an infected tick. During the feeding process, small amounts of saliva pass from the tick into the skin of the child. Cats may have ticks in & around the ears, around the eyelids, under collars, under front legs, between back legs, between the toes, or around the tail.
Who is at risk: Children that spend time with cats are at risk for tick exposure.
Symptoms in children: Symptoms of tickborne diseases in children can vary, but usually include fever, chills, body aches, & sometimes a rash. Some tickborne diseases can be very serious & even deadly.
Roundworm is a parasite that can cause an infection called toxocariasis. Roundworms are commonly found in the intestines of cats.
How it spreads: Cats shed roundworm eggs in their poop. Children can get roundworms by swallowing roundworm eggs from the environment, such as dirt contaminated with cat poop.
Who is at risk: Any child can become infected with roundworms.
Symptoms in children: There are two types of illnesses associated with roundworms in children. Ocular toxocariasis happens when roundworm larvae migrate to the eye and can cause vision loss, eye inflammation, or damage to the retina. Visceral toxocariasis happens when the roundworm larvae migrate to various body organs (like the liver, lungs, or central nervous system) and can cause fever, fatigue, coughing or wheezing, or abdominal pain.
Cat Scratch Disease (CSD)
Cats become infected through flea bites, fights with other infected cats, or blood transfusions. Children can be exposed to the bacteria through the scratch or lick of an infected cat.
Any person can get sick from CSD, but illness is most common in children & adolescents under 15 years of age and people with weakened immune systems.
Signs in cats: Up to 50% of cats have been exposed to the bacteria at some point in their lifetime. Although most infected cats do not appear sick, some cats may experience mild illness with fever that lasts for approximately 2-3 days. Rarely, the disease can cause more serious signs in cats, including vomiting, red eyes, swollen lymph nodes, tiredness, and/or low appetite.
Giardia is a parasite that can be found on surfaces or in water, food, or soil that has been contaminated by an infected cat.
Salmonellosis is caused by Salmonella bacteria, which are most commonly spread through contaminated food. Salmonella also spreads from cats to children.
How it spreads: Children can become infected through contact with cat litter. Cats can become infected with Salmonella by eating infected birds, rodents, or contaminated pet food, especially raw pet food.
Who is at risk: Anyone can get a Salmonella infection, but children younger than 5 years of age, adults 65 years of age & older, and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk for serious illness.
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasite found in soil, water, meat, or litter from an infected cat.
How it spreads: Children can get toxoplasmosis through contact with cat litter. Cats become infected by eating infected rodents, birds, or other small animals. The parasite then sheds in the cat’s feces, contaminating the environment or the cat’s litterbox. Children can get infected by consuming contaminated food or water. Children can also become infected if they do not wash their hands after cleaning a cat’s litterbox or handling anything contaminated by cat litter.
Who is at risk: Any child can get toxoplasmosis, but children with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious illness. Pregnant women infected with the parasite can pass the infection to their unborn child, which can result in birth defects.
Signs in cats: Cats with toxoplasmosis rarely appear sick but can shed the parasite in feces for as long as 3 weeks after infection.
Symptoms in children: Children with weakened immune systems can have more serious complications from toxoplasmosis, including brain disease. Pregnant women who may have been exposed should talk with their doctor because of the risk for birth defects.
It’s time to make our leaders listen. We must protect our kids with these safeguards.
CATS VS. VAPING
When you compare the dangers of Catting to vaporizing nicotine, it’s clear we need to take serious action.
END THE FEAR
No cats are safe, but we have a plan to end this new epidemic forever.
"My parents had cats in the house all my life, so I started second-hand Catting when I was born. When I turned 12, my parents bought me my first cat. I was hooked for life.
Now I have 8 cats and can barely feed them all. I had to quit my job because I was always sick.
Catting ruined me."
"I started Catting as a kid. I was hooked for life.
Sadly, I couldn't quit Catting when I became pregnant. My son was born with a major birth defect from the cat parasites and I am devastated. I've tried to quit many times, but nothing seems to work. I even tried dogging.
Thanks for all you do to prevent another generation from experiencing what I went through."
"I knew how bad Catting was from my parents. My wife & I just found our daughter Catting after school with her friends. I was so ashamed. We ended up moving to another school district.
Nobody should be Catting. Keep up all the good work and let's get these dangerous cats banned for good."