Health

'Cat Lady' Suicide More Likely, Could be Caused by Cat Toxin

by Emily Sutherlin | July 5, 2012 at 08:00 am

2942 views | 0 Recommendations | 9 comments

A new study suggests that there may be a physiological connection between cat hoarding and loneliness, depression and suicide rather than just the cat hoarding itself.

Becoming a cat lady increases the risk of suicide according to a report from The Telegraph. The risk is one-and-a-half times that of non cat owners. While you may be inclined to believe it is because women like this who surround themselves with so many pets do not have many real-life connections, that is not the case.

The study comes out of Denmark, whose researchers found that women who are infected with a certain type of parasite found in cat poop are one and a half times more likely to commit suicide. The bacteria is called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), and not only does being around it make you more likely to commit suicide, but you are more likely to do so through more violent means.

Senior author of the cat lady suicide study, Teodor T. Postolache, MD, is a professor of psychiatry and director of the Mood and Anxiety Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Postolache explains that while the link is not definitive, it is compelling:

“We can’t say with certainty that T. gondii caused the women to try to kill themselves, but we did find a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that warrants additional studies. We plan to continue our research into this possible connection.”

One third of the world is currently infected with the parasite studied in the cat lady suicide research.

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mmo (not verified)

at 12:50 on July 5th, 2012

It is not a Cat Toxin , you moron. What kind of research did you do for this report ? Let me guess ... None ! This is present in many of the foods we eat.So I would not worry unless you are feeding out of kitty's litter box.

Flip Jones (not verified)

at 14:35 on July 5th, 2012

You mad bro?

I told you so (not verified)

at 17:53 on July 5th, 2012

this is the biigest pile of (cat) crap I've ever heard

Farmer's Daughter (not verified)

at 18:31 on July 5th, 2012

there is more to animal hoarding than being the "Crazy Cat Lady". And not all animal hoarders are women. Common sense would tell most that anyone who lives in filth from dead and diseased animals must be somewhat disturbed. This story had to have been written by a cat hater......i agree with previous opinions...this is a pile of (cat) crap!

Carol-Anne (not verified)

at 00:28 on July 6th, 2012

Can't see why anyone with cats would want to commit suicide as I think they would be concerned about what would happen to their cats after their death. I pray every night to outlive my cats so that they won't have to go through trauma of grief and re-homing.

anon com (not verified)

at 05:18 on July 6th, 2012

T. gondii has been around for decades, at a minimum. I view this news with great skepticism.

Atomy (not verified)

at 00:49 on September 25th, 2012

Would it not make more sense to interpret this in terms of an overly dependent relationship to a cat? Those too emotionally attached and close to a cat would likely be more suceptable to contracting this parasite, but the real cause of the higher suicide rate would more likely be unmet emotional needs. After all, a cat, dog, or bird is in reality no vialable substitute for human emotional connection