Lots of single women who happen to like cats get labeled as crazy cat ladies because it's a very helpful stereotype in a society that is built around women relying on men to provide. Go too far outside that norm, and you'll be subtly degraded for it. Modern society doesn't like independent women.
Personally cats have a big role in helping with my depression, so I'd counter that cats keep me sane!
Toxoplasmosis is hugely prevalent. The numbers of Europeans who have been infected with it (huge majority of which will never have symptoms) is estimated to be around 60%, maybe higher. You can get it from gardening. It's a very complicated disease and the data on it is constantly changing because studies are conflicting. Some find a link between it and schizophrenia or alzheimers, some don't. Toxoplasmosis infection is higher in Europe, but they don't have higher rates of these diseases.
There is one thing that IS known, and that is the link to birth defects, but that is only during the active infection stage. I went to a talk given by a leading scientist in toxoplasma gondii research and the takeaway was that we don't really understand a lot, but she would recommend everyone get tested who is pregnant/planning to get pregnant. If you've already been infected at any time before, which you would not know without testing, you're immune and your baby is safe. Also if your cat is entirely indoors and has no contact with mice, they are also not going to be active carriers as long as it's been a few months, so you're safe to clean litter boxes.
Personally cats have a big role in helping with my depression, so I'd counter that cats keep me sane!
Toxoplasmosis is hugely prevalent. The numbers of Europeans who have been infected with it (huge majority of which will never have symptoms) is estimated to be around 60%, maybe higher. You can get it from gardening. It's a very complicated disease and the data on it is constantly changing because studies are conflicting. Some find a link between it and schizophrenia or alzheimers, some don't. Toxoplasmosis infection is higher in Europe, but they don't have higher rates of these diseases.
There is one thing that IS known, and that is the link to birth defects, but that is only during the active infection stage. I went to a talk given by a leading scientist in toxoplasma gondii research and the takeaway was that we don't really understand a lot, but she would recommend everyone get tested who is pregnant/planning to get pregnant. If you've already been infected at any time before, which you would not know without testing, you're immune and your baby is safe. Also if your cat is entirely indoors and has no contact with mice, they are also not going to be active carriers as long as it's been a few months, so you're safe to clean litter boxes.