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PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:21 am 
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Bengal Kitten

Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 11:40 am
Posts: 5
Hi.. are there illnesses that we can attain from cats..?
Because I have kids and health, of course, is a major concern.
and Can I just adopt a wanderer cat?

Thanks!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:20 pm 
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Bengal Cat

Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:05 pm
Posts: 25
Worms you can get from them although it's a little harder and sometimes even your body can fight them off since they are worms that are evolved to exist in cats.
But it's still possible and it does happen, especially in cases where a young child eats from or plays in their litter box.

Bacteria is always a possibility. I feed one of my cats raw though, and I'm sure she's full of campylobacter and salmonella by now since I just buy supermarket chicken and organs. She's had no problem with any of her raw, but it wouldn't surprise me if she tested positive for those things and if they do then they could certainly give it to you if you were to pet them and not wash your hands, I haven't gotten sick from her though so far. If you feed regular catfood then your cat is obviously less likely to have any bacterial problems, although sometimes they still get them somehow.

The protozoa like giardia and trich, there's not a lot of research into the cat specific strains of protozoa, but it's pretty safe to say that it's possible. I've seen a few people who suspected they got giardia from their cat due to a few weeks of diarrhea.

Lastly a few fungus, like ringworm is a common one that kids get because most adults have some resistance to it (but sometimes they get it too)

I don't think any of the colds and virus are likely to hurt you though. Those are species specific as far as I know.


The basic (usually about $30) fecal is going to cover the worms, and can find giardia. You'll still want to get the cat it's vaccinated and dewormed if it's a stray, and probably give it a bath or have it groomed. You can check for the fungus pretty easily just but running your hand through their fur and looking for patchy spots or if they have crusty spots or red rings. Those can be treated with topical stuff and by not handling them much until it's gone (most cases a few weeks). The protozoa and bacteria need a PCR Panel which can be anywhere from 110 to 500 depending on the lab your vet uses. Most people do not get PCR panels done unless their cat has symptoms, like persistent diarrhea. Bengals often have trichomonas, strays often have giardia. I think it's a good idea to get one if you can afford it. I wish I had it done on my bengal because he had trichomonas and campylobacter (he's never had raw or been near my other cat so he likely had it due to the trich lowering his immune system). It would have saved a lot of time and pain for the cat if I had gotten one the day I got him.... but like I said most people only go for the PCR diarrhea panel testing if the cat already is showing issues.

If you dont see fungus and you bathe/deworm/ vaccinate the cat, and it seems to be relatively healthy for a few weeks, then you're probably pretty safe. Just covering all the bases with possibilities.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:21 pm 
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Bengal Cat

Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:05 pm
Posts: 25
also make sure you see the kitten vet health check thread thats pinned to the top of this forum, it shows you how to look for issues with pictures


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