In Case You Haven't Heard…

Abstract

Cat ownership is linked with increased risk for schizophrenia and related disorders, according to results from a systematic review and meta‐analysis published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, the PsychCongress Network reported Feb. 7. The study, “Cat Ownership and Schizophrenia‐Related Disorders and Psychotic‐Like Experiences: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis,” was conducted by John McGrath, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the University of Queensland in Australia. Researchers identified 1,915 studies, of which 106 were chosen for full‐text review, ultimately resulting in the inclusion of 17 studies. They found an association between broadly defined cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia‐related disorders. Some studies have suggested that cat ownership may mitigate the risk for schizophrenia and psychotic‐like experiences, while others have proposed that exposure to the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is commonly found in domestic cats, may raise that risk. “Our field needs to generate novel candidate environmental risk factors, especially those that are potentially modifiable,” researchers wrote. “Within that context, 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.”