Cat Ownership Linked to Increased Risk of Schizophrenia, Study Suggests

04 June 2026, By R. Dyer

https://www.sciencealert.com/cat-ownership-linked-to-increased-risk-of-schizophrenia-study-suggests

(Олег Мороз/Unsplash)

Having a cat as a pet is linked to an increased risk of schizophrenia-related conditions, according to a 2023 analysis of 17 studies.

This idea that cat ownership could be linked to schizophrenia risk was proposed in a 1995 study, with exposure to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii suggested as a cause.

But the research since then has delivered mixed conclusions.

The 2023 review found "a significant positive association between broadly defined cat ownership and an increased risk of schizophrenia-related disorders."

Psychiatrist John McGrath and colleagues at the Queensland Center for Mental Health Research in Australia looked at papers published over the last 44 years in 11 countries, including the US and the UK.

"There is a need for more high-quality studies in this field," the authors emphasize in their published paper.

Studies have found that being around cats during childhood might make a person more likely to develop schizophrenia; however, not all research has found an association.

Toxoplasmosis is only known to reproduce in cats (1), but can also be transmitted to humans through intermediate hosts (2, 5, 7). 

(CDC)

Some papers also link cat exposure to higher scores on scales that measure traits related to schizophrenia – which affects a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors – and psychotic-like experiences.

But again, other studies don't show this connection.

To get a clearer picture, McGrath and his team say there's a need for a thorough review and analysis of all the research on these topics.

T. gondii is a mostly harmless parasite that can be transmitted through undercooked meat or contaminated water. It can also be transmitted through an infected cat's feces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG146bHn4qw&t=1s

Estimates suggest that T. gondii infects about 40 million people in the US, typically without any symptoms.

Meanwhile, researchers keep finding more strange effects that infections may have.

Once inside our bodies, T. gondii can infiltrate the central nervous system and influence neurotransmitters.

The parasite has been linked to personality changes, the emergence of psychotic symptoms, and some neurological disorders, including schizophrenia.

However, a link doesn't prove that T. gondii causes these changes or that the parasite was transmitted to a human from a cat.

"After adjusting for covariates, we found that individuals exposed to cats had approximately twice the odds of developing schizophrenia," the Australian team writes.

There are some important things to keep in mind here, like the fact that 15 of the 17 studies were case-control studies.

This kind of research can't show cause and effect, and it often doesn't account for factors that may have affected both the exposure and the outcome.

The researchers also highlight the low quality of several of the studies examined.

Results were inconsistent across studies, but those of higher quality suggested that associations in unadjusted models might have been due to factors that could have influenced the results.

One study found no significant association between owning a cat before age 13 and later developing schizophrenia.

But the same study did identify a significant link when narrowing down cat ownership to a specific period (ages 9 to 12).

This inconsistency suggests that the critical window for cat exposure is not well defined.

Cat feces could be the source of toxoplasmosis. (frosted_vulpes_ferrilata/Unsplash)



A study in the US, which involved 354 psychology students, didn't find a connection between owning a cat and schizotypy scores. However, those who had received a cat bite had higher scores when compared to those who had not.

Another study, which included people with and without mental disorders, discovered a connection between cat bites and higher scores on tests measuring particular psychological experiences.

But they suggested other pathogens, such as Pasteurella multocida, may be responsible instead.

Before we can draw any firm conclusions, the researchers reiterate that we need better, and broader, research.

"Our review provides support for an association between cat ownership and schizophrenia-related disorders," the authors conclude.

"There is a need for more high-quality studies, based on large, representative samples to better understand cat ownership as a candidate risk-modifying factor for mental disorders."

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