If cats make you happy you probably have a parasite in your brains!(srs)

[barakav]

You should all be aware that there is a parasite that infects around 33%-50% of the world's populations' brains and is called toxoplasma gondii.

 

This parasite mainly lives inside a cat intestines but during its' life cycle it leaves the cat through its' feces and then usually finds its' way into mice where it creates colonies in their brains. Then it changes the mouses' personality and makes it ignore the dangers of predators and also make it heavily attracted to cats and their smell.

 

So the mice is getting himself eaten by a cat and the parasites finds a new host.

 

Surprisingly this parasite can infect other mammals as well including cows and humans ,so when you are eating a rare steak there is a good chance that you'll get this thing into your system. And if it bypass the immune system and infects your brains you will get the same personality changes that are applied to mice including getting attracted to cats.

 

This is the reason why the Internet is full of individuals who post cat pictures ,as half of the worlds' population is infected. Furthermore ,it was hypothesized that this parasites' influence is getting stronger with age as our immune system is getting weaker and can't fight it ,so a scientific paper proposed that this is the explanation to "the old lady that feeds tons of cats" phenomena .(The myths of the witches of the middle ages were based on this phenomena)

 

 

So if you think that Josh Sawyer is crazy ,you are probably correct...

Edited April 25, 2015 by barakav

[Walsingham]

I hate cats. Go me!

[ShadySands]

I hate cats. Go me!

Slap hands!

 

Below is an artistic rendition of that momentous high five

[Vaeliorin]

I don't hate cats (I prefer cats to dogs, mainly because dogs, in my experience, want fairly constant attention) but I've no real interest in owning any. So I guess I'm safe.

[ShadySands]

^Yeah, I don't hate anything. Except hate

 

It's confusing sometimes but it feels right

[JadedWolf]

I, for one, welcome our furry cat overlords.

[Valsuelm]

There are good reasons there are terms like 'crazy cat lady' and 'cat people'.

[Blarghagh]

This would explain why I used to hate cats until I had one.

[Amentep]

I like cats.

 

But I own no pets.

[Humanoid]

The question is whether the parasite can be genetically re-engineered to make people like me.

[Lexx]

So if you think that Josh Sawyer is crazy ,you are probably correct...

I totally expected this when reading the post. :>

[TrashMan]

The question is whether the parasite can be genetically re-engineered to make people like me.

 

We should totally fund such research.

 

It will be usefull for my Global Domination plans.

[FlintlockJazz]

 

The question is whether the parasite can be genetically re-engineered to make people like me.

 

We should totally fund such research.

 

It will be usefull for my Global Domination plans.

 

Yours?  You forget your place, minion.  Get back to work!

[Amentep]

As an aside, toxoplasma gondii can cause toxoplasmosis which can kill those with compromised immune systems and babies.  Pregnant women should limit their contact with cat's fecal matter to avoid inadvertantly infecting their babies.

[Gfted1]

My wife used that very excuse to get out of cleaning the cat box while she was pregnant.

[Amentep]

Better safe than not.

[Keyrock]

I like rats, and rodents in general.  Is there a parasite associated with that?

 

Edited April 28, 2015 by Keyrock

[Amentep]

Helminths (tapeworms, roundworms, etc) can infect rodents.

 

Plasmodium berghei has thicket rats from africa in its life cycle.

 

The cat parasite mentioned above toxoplasma gondii can infect rats and make them lose their fear of predators.

[Gfted1]

Don't they also carry a little thing known as the BUBONIC PLAGUE?

[Keyrock]

Don't they also carry a little thing known as the BUBONIC PLAGUE?

Because that's still rampant these days.  Besides, what's chancing a little Black Death to have a cuddly rodent to care for and love? 

Edited April 28, 2015 by Keyrock

[JadedWolf]

 

Don't they also carry a little thing known as the BUBONIC PLAGUE?

Because that's still rampant these days.  Besides, what's chancing a little Black Death to have a cuddly rodent to care for and love? 

 

 

http://www.ibtimes.com/bubonic-plague-us-disease-still-present-colorado-madagascar-1729792

[Keyrock]

I'm aware the bubonic plague still exists, but it's kept in check and, for the most part, of little concern in 1st world countries.

[Valsuelm]

Rodents are probably the #1 animal vector of disease and death in humans. They transmit far more nastiness than just the bubonic plague. In fact, only mosquitoes possibly beat them as a vector in terms of number of people killed. Though if you factor in other ways that rodents can hurt humans, such as eating and destroying vast quantities of food which leads to starvation and other diseases, rodents probably surpass mosquitoes to take the #1 killer of humans spot.

 

As much as The Secret of N.I.M.H is a favorite movie of mine, the real world realities of mice and rats are far uglier than portrayed in that Don Bluth gem.

 

People who 'love' anything or anyone based largely or primarily on how cuddly or cute factors, are crazy, ignorant, and/or just plain unintelligent to say the least.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Valsuelm

[Amentep]

Don't they also carry a little thing known as the BUBONIC PLAGUE?

 

Yes but plagues are a bacteria causing illness, not a parasite so not within the scope of the question asked.

 

By comparison Pasmodium berghei and toxoplasma gondii are both parastic protozoans

 

[Keyrock]

Rodents are probably the #1 animal vector of disease and death in humans. They transmit far more nastiness than just the bubonic plague. In fact, only mosquitoes possibly beat them as a vector in terms of number of people killed. Though if you factor in other ways that rodents can hurt humans, such as eating and destroying vast quantities of food which leads to starvation and other diseases, rodents probably surpass mosquitoes to take the #1 killer of humans spot.

 

On the other hand, if it wasn't for rodents, humans would never have existed in the first place.