The terrible disease called Toxoplasmosis (TOXO), is an infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Over half of the 40 million Americans infected received the parasite from food or water contaminated through contact with cat feces, not only from cleaning litter boxes but also from gardening, sand boxes, or even playing on a beach infested with cat feces (a single cat poops 32 pounds of feces onto the land each year). The long-term, chronic effects of TOXO infection result when the cysts spread to brain and muscle cells. The cysts, which can stay in the body as long as the person lives, can rupture and cause severe illness including damage to the brain, eyes and other organs. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/npi_toxoplasmosis.html
TOXO infects over 11% of Americans annually, causing deaths and hospitalizations. A 2001 study estimated 750 human deaths that year. An estimated 300–4,000 cases affect pregnant women and their fetuses, and 3,600 individuals annually develop eye disease leading to vision loss. Infections are highest in Florida and other coastal states.
TOXO from free-roaming cats can lead to miscarriages, blindness, memory loss, brain cancer, and even an estimated 20% of new cases of psychosis, as reported in a new book by E. Fuller Torrey (2022): “Parasites, Pussycats and Psychosis the Unknown Dangers of Human Toxoplasmosis.” Read online, free: https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/51941/978-3-030-86811 6.pdf?sequence=1
Thanks to all five Indian River County (IRC) Commissioners, Peter O’Bryan, Joe Earman, Susan Adams, Joseph Flescher, and Laura Moss, for retaining the requirement that all owners must keep cats on a leash outside their home. Supporting them, Miranda Hawker, IRC Health Officer/Florida Department of Health, discussed the major health reasons, especially rabies, and said in 2021, there were 95 cat bites reported in Indian River County. Rabies is a well-known virus transmitted to humans by animal bites four times more from cats than dogs. Free-roaming cats are responsible for 1/3 of human rabies post-exposure treatments in the U.S. with children at highest risk. Anthony Brown, President of IRC NAACP, described the huge numbers of cats being dumped around Gifford by people no longer willing to care for their cats.
Domestic cats are a non-native, invasive animal and are not a part of Florida’s ecosystem. They were brought from Europe by the early colonists, with many becoming feral. They are sexually mature at 6 months old and can produce three litters of 2-4 kittens per year totaling 12 cats per year! In the U.S. there are estimated 140 million cats (50 million feral and 90 million pets). Our unique Floridian wildlife species that attract tourists to the state are prey for non-native cats. Even cats that have been “TNR’d” (trapped, neutered and returned) still hunt and are responsible for many deaths of small wildlife; cats that have been “TNR’d” still pollute with their poop.
Cats are America’s favorite pet and deserve to be cuddled, kept warm, dry, vaccinated, and fed in order to live a long, healthy, and humane life by keeping them indoors. It is cruel to release cats where disease and vehicles kill them. They are also prey for hawks, owls, snakes, alligators, and bobcats. Outdoor cats live only from 2-5 years while indoor cats live 10-15, sometimes 20 years.
What can we do locally? 1) Educate the public about the health hazards caused by cat feces in the environment and take steps to prevent TOXO; 2) Require that cats be vaccinated, licensed, and microchipped; 3) To reduce the threats of rabies and TOXO, remove existing stray/feral cat colonies and prohibit the release of unowned cats; 4) Make it illegal to feed stray cats because rabies-infected raccoons are attracted to cat-feeding stations; 5) Enforce leash laws for cats as well as dogs.
Let’s protect ourselves, our cats, and our wildlife by keeping our lands and waters from becoming TOXO litter boxes. Keep all cats inside the home where they may live a long, healthy, and humane life.
Richard H. Baker, Ph.D.
