The parasite is commonly transmitted through undercooked meat, contaminated water, or exposure to infected cat feces. Cats<\/a>, as definitive hosts, can shed the parasite through their waste, making household exposure during childhood a concern raised in several studies. A review cited in the Schizophrenia Bulletin <\/a>suggests that individuals exposed to cats in early life had about twice the odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders.<\/p>\n Still, this doesn\u2019t mean T. gondii is definitively the cause. The researchers underscore that while an association exists, causality remains unproven. Other factors could be influencing the correlation, and the source of infection might not always be feline in origin.<\/p>\n Inconsistent Findings and Limited Study Quality<\/p>\n Of the 17 studies reviewed, 15 were case-control studies\u2014a format that can highlight associations but cannot prove cause and effect. According to the authors of the meta-analysis, many of these studies lacked methodological rigor, and some failed to properly adjust for confounding factors that might skew the results.<\/p>\n The review found that only studies of higher quality consistently indicated a potential link between cat ownership and later schizophrenia symptoms. One such <\/a>study detected no correlation<\/a> when analyzing general cat ownership before age 13, but a specific time frame\u2014between ages 9 and 12\u2014did reveal a statistically significant association. This points to a possible \u201ccritical window\u201d for exposure, but further data is needed to support such a claim.<\/p>\n![\"Toxoplasmosis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/toxoplasmosis-is-only-known-to-reproduce-in-cats-1-but-can-be-spread-to-humans-through-intermediate-.jpeg\"\/)
Toxoplasmosis is only known to reproduce in cats (1), but can be spread to humans through intermediate hosts (2, 5, 7) as well \u2013 \u00a9 CDC<\/p>\n