Having a cat doubles your risk of serious brain disorder due to a toxic parasite they carry, study suggests

OWNING a cat could double your risk of schizophrenia-related disorders, a study suggests.

Being exposed to a feline friend increased the chances of developing the mental condition by 2.24 times, Australian researchers found.

Previous research has suggested a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii could be behind the link.

Dr John McGrath, of the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, said: “We found an association between cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders.

“After adjusting for covariates, we found that individuals exposed to cats had approximately twice the odds of developing schizophrenia.”

Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition that affects around more than 685,000 Brits, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, muddled thoughts and speech, losing interest in everyday activities and wanting to avoid people.

Scientists are not sure what causes it exactly, but believe there are a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Toxoplasma gondii has been linked to personality changes, psychotic symptoms and some neurological disorders, including schizophrenia.

It is normally a harmless parasite that is spread through undercooked meat, contaminated water or bites from an infected animal, including cats.

The latest study, published in , looked at whether exposure to cats could increase your risk of developing the mental health condition.

Researchers analysed 17 studies published during the last 44 years from 11 countries including the UK and US.

The research showed a “significant positive association” between cat exposure and schizophrenia-related disorders.

However, some of the research was of poor quality and 15 of the 17 were case-control studies, meaning they could not prove cause and effect, the team said.