This Giraffe Is The Best Wedding Photobomber Anyone Could Hope For

After Tristan Burns and Luke Karshagen said their vows on Saturday, their photographer suggested they take their wedding party to a nearby picturesque park for great lighting and a beautiful backdrop.

That much is typical for any wedding photo scenario. But this couple got an extra scenic addition to their shoot at Areena Riverside Resort near East London, South Africa: a curious giraffe named Abby.

“Areena always has wildlife roaming around, but I really wasn’t expecting Abby to pop his head among the trees,” Burns tells Yahoo. “Honestly, I was a little worried at first. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, nor did I know the nature of Abby. He just popped his head out of the trees. He must have heard us and just came waltzing into our party.”

Photographer Stephanie Norman has shot at Areena before, but this was the first time her subjects had ever been photobombed by a giraffe. While the wedding party was all rather startled by the enormous creature — even in South Africa, this is rather unusual — he soon put them at ease.

To read more on this story, click here: This Giraffe Is The Best Wedding Photobomber Anyone Could Hope For

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A Tortoise Named Jonathan is Believed to be the World’s Oldest Known Living Land Creature

A tortoise named Jonathan is believed to be the world’s oldest known living land creature and resides at an old plantation house in St. Helena. This village is located on one of the British Isle Territories out in the South Atlantic and has been home to the old tortoise since around 1882. Jonathan is just one part of the amazing world of animals which surround everyone on planet Earth.

There are so many striking, beautiful and wonderful creatures that cover the entire world. Several of them are able to flabbergast both scientists and the regular lay-person as well, especially when they happen to be this one such tortoise which probably started its life during the first part of the 19th century. The large home where Jonathan lives at St. Helena is the official residence of the British Territories Governor Mark Capes.

On this island, the tour guide and Jonathan’s chief caregiver, who is also a veterinarian, strikes against a huge bowl made out of metal. This causes Jonathan, Fredrika and Myrtle to approach closer. There are two other huge tortoises which decide to stay hidden in the shadows. It is explained that Jonathan, being the oldest of the five, is almost sightless from cataracts and does not have any sense of sense, yet he is able to hear very well. With him being the age of 182, that is an accomplishment in itself.

Jonathan comes from the rare tortoise breed known as Seychelles Giants . His fellow tortoises come from the Aldabra Island, which is located in the Indian Ocean. Aldabra Giants are believed to be numbered around the 100,000 mark, but there only just one tiny breeding population left of the Seychelles tortoises.

St Helena came into existence as a ferocious volcano, along with both Tristan du Cunha and Ascension in the Southern Atlantic. It is known for its seclusion and very closed off society. Back in the 17th century there was numerous slave trade victims who ended up dying on the sandy shores of St Helena. Napoleon also was put into exile there. Its residents, which are called Saints, all share this multifaceted past, and have the varied ethnic traits of Europeans, Africans, Chinese and Americans. It is really not known for sure just how Jonathan arrived in St. Helena in the first place.

During the 19th century, there were numerous ships traveling around that held over hundreds of easily stackable tortoises. In the Galapagos Islands only, there were believed to have been over 200,000 tortoises which had been trapped, killed and consumed during this time period. Jonathan was extremely lucky to have escaped such a grim fate.

He has lived through the passing of 33 different British Territory governors and no one wants to lose Jonathan while they are in the government seat. Mr. Capes definitely desires to see that Jonathan is treated well, given much respect, and all the care and attention he deserves he receives. One thing he enjoys tremendously is having his long neck rubbed. He is able to extend his head from out of his shell a decent length.

The tortoise makes a loud snapping sound in response for his food. He dines mostly on carrots, cabbage and his favorite which are bananas. He makes the loud noises because he has trouble in finding his food with his eye and nose troubles. He also enjoys scrapes at blades of grass with his horny beak. It is made out of keratin, just like human nails are.

The Seychelles species can reach up to weights of over 650 lbs. and may grow to be over four feet in length. Jonathan’s life has not over covered the 30+ British governors, but has also extended through the passing of eight British monarchs who reach from George IV down to Elizabeth II and also over 50 British prime ministers. If his age is truly correct and he is actually age 182, than that would mean he was around 10 years too young to have been able to meet Napoleon, who passed away in the year 1821

Because of his advancing age, Jonathan was starting to suffer from malnutrition. This was causing his beak to start to soften up and become blunt, which in turn, added to his feeding problems. He was also having problems with his head and neck. He was stuck in a Catch-22 of sorts.

However, now his caregivers have come up with a new feeding system.  Jonathan is delivered a full bucket of fresh vegetables and fruit each weekend as extra nutrition along with his regular meals. This added dietary boost has given Jonathan’s skin a new plump feel and it is soft.

One thing that is unfortunate about Jonathan’s mating trysts is that none of them ever produced any young tortoises. So it is fairly certain that he is the last of his line. Because of this, and even though giant tortoises from his species can survive for 250 years, the community of St. Helena has already set up a rough draft of his obituary for when he does finally pass away. The island wants everything to go smoothly when his death occurs.

There will no such thing as stuffing the old animal because everyone feels that would be very outdated and also morbid to do. Instead his shell will be well-preserved and will be put up on display in St Helena for everyone to see. The Saints also want to start a monetary fund in order to be able to create a true to life bronze statue of him. When the giant tortoise passes away, Jonathan will be deeply mourned by both friends and devotees on St. Helena and all over the entire world. The tortoise named Jonathan is believed to be the world’s oldest known living land creature.

The amazing animal is blind because of the cataracts and has no sense of smell. He has trouble finding food. Luckily, he can still hear pretty good. He is fed with fruits and vegetables, so he has no problems with malnutrition.

The tourists and inhabitants of the island of Saint Helena regard the old tortoise with respect and kindness. The authorities made plans about keeping Jonathan healthy, building a bronze statue, and even the procedures that should be undertaken after Jonathan will die.

Jonathan was brought on the island in 1882. He did not produce any offspring until now, but a giant tortoise can live up to 250 years.
Have a look at a video about the amazing tortoise Jonathan, the oldest living creature in the world:

Jonathan lives at the Plantation House with the governor of St Helena. He doesn’t reside at his awesome digs alone, he shares the property with a crew of 5 other tortoises. Without a doubt, Jonathan is the oldest of the pack.

Jonathan is still going strong, but he feels the effects of aging. His smell has started go, along with his eyesight. Surprisingly though, he hasn’t lost his libido and he is rather interested in the youngest female tortoise he lives with.

According to the the famous tortoise’s vet, Joe Hollins, this behavior is a good sign of more healthy years to come. As an active libido indicates health and a youthful spirit.

Those responsible for Jonathan don’t set these rules to be mean, instead, they only want to help Jonathan live a good long life. You can never be too careful considering he has already exceeded maximum life expectancy, especially considering Jonathan might be the last of his breed.

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Most Pet Car Safety Products Can Endanger Your Dog, Cat And You

In 2004, Lindsey Wolko adopted a British cocker spaniel, Maggie, that loved to roam the inside of her car during drives — an unnerving habit that sent Wolko in search of a harness to protect the formerly abused pup.

A few months later, with Maggie belted into the harness, Wolko had to slam on her brakes. Maggie went flying, crashing into the back of the front seat.

“Because of the design, her legs were hogtied and thrown forward,” Wolko told The Huffington Post. “Luckily she wasn’t hurt or paralyzed, but it took her a while to heal.”

Maggie suffered a strained spine and strained hips. She was on painkillers and confinement for weeks.

To make matters worse, Wolko had to pay all of the vet bills out of her own pocket. The harness manufacturer was not accountable for any of Maggie’s injuries.

 Wolko, shocked, learned that pet restraints aren’t regulated by any government agency and manufacturers’ claims of safety weren’t put to the test by any outside organization.

So she founded the nonprofit watchdog Center for Pet Safety, which has since conducted crash tests showing most pet restraints — even those claiming to be crash-tested — don’t work in sudden maneuvers.

To demonstrate the problem, the Center for Pet Safety performed a crash test in 2011 on four popular brands of pet restraints, using crash test dummy dogs.

“We had a 100 percent failure rate, and a lot of those products are still on the market,” Wolko said.

The results stirred enough of a ruckus for Subaru to catch wind. Because more than half of Subaru owners have pets, the carmaker agreed to sponsor additional crash tests for Center For Pet Safety.

Of 29 pet restraints tested since the alliance, 25 failed. You can see some of the tests in the video below. Be forewarned that some of the clips may be unsettling to animal lovers.

To read more on this story, click here: Most Pet Car Safety Products Can Endanger Your Dog, Cat And You

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Is Your Pet as Healthy as It Could Be? Take the Test

Answer a few questions, and you'll get:
Information about health topics that affect your pet
Expert tips for handling your pet's specific behavior problems
A personalized list of articles to help you learn more about your pet

To take the test, click here: Is Your Pet as Healthy as It Could Be?

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Have You Ever Lost a Pet? Then You Know The Stress of Looking for Them: Download and Place This Door Hanger with Your Pet's Picture on All Neighbors' Doors

If you have ever lost a pet, you know the stress of trying to make up posters. I am sharing a handy template, from the Seattle Animal Shelter.

Place these door hangers with your pet's picture on all of your neighbors' doors.

Search your neighborhood. Talk with neighbors, local veterinarians, delivery drivers and postal carriers. Don't forget about newspaper deliverers that work early in the morning.

Printout Here:
To open Pdf download, click here: Lost Pet Door Hanger

This is what the door hanger looks like:

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How to Prevent Cat Scratching

Cats were born to scratch, and they have the tools to do it with too. The best first step is to keep your cat's claws trimmed. I do not support declawing cats, but I am a big proponent of good grooming, starting with regular nail trims every few weeks or as needed. Kitties sometimes get their claws stuck in things (including your favorite furniture), so trimming your pet's nails is good for your pet as well.

Provide your cat with a good scratcher, be it a simple cardboard one, a small flat sisal board or a larger kitty tower. Some of the latter are really beautiful these days, coming in furniture-grade wood that will enhance your home's decor while making your cat happy.

Sometimes, however, cats just get in a bad habit. If your cat is set on scratching a certain favorite item, here are some of the latest types of no-scratch products that are available:

Cat-scratch prevention tape with medical-grade adhesive: Prevention tape has been around for a long time, but manufacturers are coming up with improved adhesives that really adhere to furniture and annoy cats. They usually won't harm fabrics and more delicate materials.

Cardboard scratchers combined with mazes: The simple cardboard scratcher, found even in many large grocery stores, has received a makeover. Some manufacturers have added a maze game to the bottom of it, making it doubly satisfying for your cat.

Scratchers in cat-friendly shapes: Some new scratchers are shaped like waves, bridges and even beds, providing your pet with something to climb on, explore and scratch.

Automated cat-deterrents: My favorite new gizmos are automated cat-deterrents, which have motion detectors. Once they detect that your cat is nearby, they automatically spray a harmless, nontoxic spray that most cats abhor. You just set up the device and forget about it until the spray runs out. Refills are then available. These can be used to prevent cats from urinating on carpeting and from doing other unwanted things.

Lastly, buy furniture with your cat in mind. Microfiber and some other materials are not as easy for cats to dig their claws into. And if you often hold your cat, it will no doubt prefer to knead on you. Sometimes needy cats are more kneady on furniture, so give your cat the attention it craves, and better behavior often results.

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Alligator Kills South Carolina Woman Trying To Protect Her Dog At Resort

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- A South Carolina woman trying to protect her dog was killed by an alligator at a private resort, authorities said Monday. The attack occurred around 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Cassandra Cline, 45, of Hilton Head Island, was walking the dog along a residential area of Sea Pines Resort when she was attacked, state and local officials said. The 8-foot alligator was later found and killed, said David Lucas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

"She was walking the dog near the lagoon and the alligator came out of the water and tried to get the dog," Lucas said. "The lady tried to rescue the dog and a maintenance worker ran over to help."

The alligator latched onto the dog's leash and engaged in a tug of war with the woman, authorities said. The dog was unharmed in the attack.

"It's common practice when we have an aggressive alligator like that, we put it down, but it will take some take some time to confirm it's the right alligator," said Capt. Robert McCullough of the Department of Natural Resources.

To read more on this story, click here: Alligator Kills South Carolina Woman Trying To Protect Her Dog At Resort

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Blackpool Zoo Tries To Dissuade Man From Buying A Pet Giraffe

An exasperated customer service assistant from Blackpool Zoo found themselves having to dissuade man from purchasing a giraffe for Christmas.

Calling himself ‘Chudders’, the man emailed the zoo with the query: "Is it possible to buy and own a giraffe in Scotland? I’ve been after a giraffe for years now and I want to make it a reality now”.

His children, he said, had their heart set on a hamster – but that he would much prefer a giraffe.

He was sure to emphasise that he had “a decent sized back garden” and “an upstairs/downstairs house so it could be fed from the bedroom window without any hassle”.

To read more on this story, click here: Blackpool Zoo Tries To Dissuade Man From Buying A Pet Giraffe

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Watching This Pet Possum Eat Broccoli Is The Cute Fix You Need Today

Get ready for your daily dose of cuteness overload. 

Meet Starfish. She’s a sweet li’l possum with a face for the silver screen. She loves to play with her cat siblings, attack her food with her candy corn teeth, and travel all over the country with her mom, Ally.

The young opossum crossed paths with Ally after she lost her tail as a baby. Since opossums are not typically pets, the reason she now lives with Ally is because without a tail she cannot do some of the things wild opossums need to do to stay alive. Tails are important to these animals because they use them for balance, carrying nesting materials, and climbing.

To read more on this story, click here: Watching This Pet Possum Eat Broccoli Is The Cute Fix You Need Today

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Does Your Pet Have an Extra Toe? – It is Called a Dewclaw

I will start off first by identifying the additional toe that your pet has…it is not a toe as I have heard people say, it is call a dewclaw.

What is a Dewclaw?

A dewclaw, commonly referred to as a Dog's thumb, is a vestigial digit  on the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles (including some extinct orders, like certain theropods). It commonly grows high on the leg so that in digitigrade species, when the animal is standing, it does not make contact with the ground. Dewclaws are perhaps best known in dogs, and they are often removed in young puppies, though there is debate on whether this is necessary.

I was first told about a dewclaw from my vet when I took my puppy to get shots. I asked him why he had an extra toe. He informed me that it was not a toe….”dogs don’t have toes”, he said. Then he got serious and explained what a dewclaw was and that I had the choice to have it removed. Because my dogs fur covered their dewclaws he told me to always call it to the attention of the groomer.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)  says, don’t forget to trim your dog’s dewclaws as well. Most dogs just have dewclaws on their front legs, but some dogs have one, and sometimes even two, sets of dewclaws on their rear legs. If your dog doesn’t have dewclaws on his front legs, he had them surgically removed earlier in his life.

                                   

What do you if your dogs dewclaw broke and hanging?

Do not pull or cut unless you can see that it is almost not attached. It is preferable to bandage the part of the leg for giving time to it falls by itself.
Veterinarian Chevy Chase, MD

Polydactyl Cats

A polydactyl cat is a cat with a congenital physical anomaly called polydactyly (or polydactylism, also known as hyperdactyly), a type of cat body type genetic mutation that causes the cat to be born with more than the usual number of toes on one or more of its paws. Cats with this genetically inherited trait are most commonly found along the East Coast of North America (in the United States and Canada) and in South West England and Wales.

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Epilepsy in Pets

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes the dog to have sudden, uncontrolled, recurring physical attacks, with or without loss of consciousness. This may sometimes occur for unknown reasons (idiopathic) or due to genetic abnormalities. However, idiopathic epilepsy is often characterized by structural brain lesions and is more likely seen in male dogs. If left untreated, the seizures may become more severe and frequent.

One of the most terrifying scenes a pet owner can witness is that of a pet in the throws of a grand mal seizure. Once seen, it will never be forgotten.

Epileptic episodes are quite common in dogs and actually show up more often in certain breeds of dogs than in others.

For unknown reasons, epilepsy in cats is rather rare. When seen in a cat, epileptic episodes may have more serious underlying mechanisms than when present in dogs. Let’s explore this disorder a bit and we will gain a better understanding of just what is going on during an epileptic episode.


What Pets Get Epilepsy ?

Dog breeds predisposed to epilepsy:
Any dog can be an epileptic. The following breeds are predisposed to this condition: Beagles, all Shepherds (German, Australian, Belgian, Tervuren), Border Collies, Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Collies, Dachshunds, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Keeshonds, Labrador Retrievers, Poodles (all sizes), St. Bernards, Shelties, Siberian Huskies, Springer Spaniels, Welsh Corgies, and Wire-haired Fox Terriers. Seizures also occur more frequently in staffordshire bull terriers than in many breeds. But those seizures are often related to a specific neuro-metabolic disorder seen in this breed.

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Bei Bei The Giant Panda, At Smithsonian's National Zoo, Turned 3-Years-Old Today

Washington, DC - Bei Bei turned 3 years old today! In celebration of his big day, Bei Bei enjoyed an ice-cake, participated in an enrichment painting session and received a new panda-friendly toy.

His cake was specially made by the Zoo’s department of nutrition sciences and included all of his favorite foods. The tiers were made of diluted apple, cranberry and grape juice with leaf-eater biscuit puree. It was decorated and filled with apples, pears, bananas, shredded carrots and cooked sweet potatoes. The number 3 that topped the cake was made of diluted apple juice with a leaf-eater biscuit puree center.

Now weighing in at almost 215 pounds, Bei Bei has been taking full advantage of his summer—splashing around in his big green tub, and napping in trees and on his new hammock.

Tian Tian is the next giant panda to celebrate a birthday. He turns 21 on Monday, Aug. 27 and will also receive a special cake at 11 a.m.

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Embrace Pet Insurance Compiled a List of Six Potential Tax Deductions for Pet Owners

Can pet owners claim their dog or cat on their taxes? The answer is yes — but only in specific instances.

Embrace Pet Insurance compiled a list of six potential tax deductions for pet owners — though some may have been affected by the tax overhaul.

ThinkAdvisor spoke with Leon LaBrecque, managing partner and CEO at LJPR Financial Advisors, about these potential pet deductions and which are still relevant under the new tax law.

LaBrecque is a certified public accountant as well as a certified financial planner. He’s on the board of directors for the Michigan Association of CPAs, where he is also the head of the special task force on the new tax law. LaBrecque is also a self-professed dog lover with three dogs of his own.

“As a pet lover, our pets are almost like having kids,” he told ThinkAdvisor. “So one of the weird things that happened [with the new tax law] is they kind of equalized the playing ground a little. We don’t get an exemption for our kids anymore and we don’t get an exemption for our pets either. I would say that they leveled the playing field between our four-legged children and our two-legged children — of which I have both.”

Though a pet cannot be claimed as a dependent on their owner’s U.S. taxes, the IRS does grant certain tax deductions for dogs and other pets. It should be noted that the deductions are specific, and many household pets do not meet the criteria set by the IRS.

Here is a list of six potential tax deductions (or changes under the new law) for pet owners.

1. Business animals

There may be deductions available for business animals if the animal lives at the trade or business.

For example, dogs that work as a security measure for a business can fall into the category of business animals. A cat “employed” for rodent control at a business may also qualify. These working dogs or cats often live at the business 24/7, instead of in the owner’s home.

“You have the Rottweiler guarding your shop or office; a guard dog is a guard dog,” LaBrecque said. “If you start taking the Rottweiler home, it becomes less apparent that it’s a guard dog but I might even suggest that you can deduct the food that you feed the dog at your office — because he’s guarding the office while you’re there.”

Owners of business animals may be able to deduct expenses like food, veterinary care, and training related to the animal’s job.

Business animal deductions could also include animals that generate income for their owners, such as performing animals. Performing animals appear in commercials, movies, television, print ads and other related industries.

2. Shipping household pets during a move

While it may be possible to deduct the cost of shipping a pet to a new home when filing 2017 taxes, LaBrecque says this is no more. Moving expenses have been eliminated under the new tax law.

“That’s gone,” he said. “No more moving expenses for anyone, including pets.”

3. Donations to pet-related charities

Adoption fees to a rescue organization or local shelter are not tax deductible, but donations made to a rescue or charitable organization for which no goods or services are received may be deductible.

“You can’t adopt a dog as a donation,” LaBrecque explained. “You can make a donation and adopt a dog as long as those are not related to each other. The adoption fees are not deductible. The donation to the pet-related charity clearly is deductible.”

This potential deduction — donations to pet-related charities — is the one that LaBrecque sees most often among his clients and friends.

“It’s well known amongst my clients and friend that I love dogs, so I tend to see a lot more towards the charitable giving side,” he said.

His firm also donates to animal charities.


4. Foster pets

Fostering a pet for a qualified charitable organization is deductible, according to LaBrecque.

“I live in the same city as the Leader Dogs for the Blind. If you adopt a foster pet or if you raise a Leader Dog, that is a charitable contribution to the extent that you have expenses related to it, including things like mileage,” LaBrecque explained. “If I’m taking care of a Leader Dog puppy … then clearly you can have a charitable deduction for that.”

Bankrate has also stated that “unreimbursed expenses for fostering a pet for an IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) adoption organization can be deducted.”

Deductions can include food, supplies, veterinary bills, and up to 14 cents per mile for trips made to further the shelter’s work, according to Bankrate.

5. Pet-related hobby expenses

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, pet parents who enter their pets in dog, cat or horse shows as a hobby may be able to make a deduction under hobby expenses if the pet owner received earnings from it.

However, LaBrecque says that this deductible is likely gone under the new law. According to LaBrecque, hobby losses would have been deductible as a miscellaneous itemized deduction, but he suggests this deduction was eliminated by the new law.

“I didn’t get a chance to dig in deep on the hobby loss [rule] related to pets but it appears that hobby losses — even to the extent of income — likely are not deductible,” he explained.

6. Service animal expenses

According to Embrace Pet Insurance, service dog expenses are tax deductible as noted in IRS Publication 502, and deductions are available for individuals requiring a guide dog for vision or hearing impairments.

These deductions may include expenses incurred when purchasing the animal as well as training fees or any veterinary expenses.

But LaBrecque makes an important distinction. He says that service dogs for a medical impairment are deductible as medical expenses, but two thresholds must be met.

“First, all medical expenses must exceed 7.5% (for 2018) of adjusted gross income to be included as an itemized deduction,” according to LaBrecque. “Second, total itemized deductions must exceed the standard deduction, which was significantly increased under the new law.”

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Study Suggests That Cat Poop Parasites May Pose Public Health Hazard

Here’s a sobering thought for every cat owner in charge of emptying the litter box: Felines deposit about 1.2 million metric tons of feces into the U.S. environment every year, a new study finds, and all that poop may pose an under-recognized public health hazard.

No one's saying to get rid of the kitties, but scientists who study an infectious parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii say they've found that the eggs of the bug are more widespread than believed, and that cat owners should take precautions when it comes to kids' sandboxes and backyard gardens.

That's even though there's evidence that fewer are becoming infected by the parasite and veterinarians say that responsible pet owners are actually at lower risk than others.

It’s long been known that some cat feces harbor the parasite known as T. gondii, which can cause human illness. Pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems have been warned for decades to avoid cat box duty because the resulting infections can cause congenital problems and serious illness.

But a new analysis by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey and Dr. Robert H. Yolken, scientists at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, finds that the parasite eggs, known as oocysts, may be more common than previously known – perhaps between three and 434 oocysts per square foot of soil, according to samples taken from places as diverse as California, China, Brazil, Panama and Poland.

In addition, it may take just a single oocyst to cause infection, an alarming thought when one estimate shows that the dirt under a gardener’s fingernails could harbor 100 oocysts, reported Torrey, the lead author of the study in the journal Trends in Parasitology.

“It may be a much bigger problem than we realize,” said Torrey, a psychiatrist who heads the Stanley Medical Research Institute in Chevy Chase, Md.

There have been outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in healthy people, not just pregnant or immune-compromised patients, he said. And recent studies have suggested -- although not proven -- that there may be a link between high levels of T. gondii antibodies and development of conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD.

“Some of us suspect that some of the important transmission may occur in childhood,” Torrey told NBC News.

Cats acquire the parasite when they eat infected prey, such as mice or birds, and then shed the oocysts in their poop. Children may ingest oocysts present in sandboxes and backyard dirt, said Torrey, who wants better control of the cat population, including feral cats, and better covering and monitoring of kids’ play areas.

“It should give you pause before you put your child in a public sandbox,” he said.

Still, even Torrey’s paper notes that there’s little evidence that owning a cat actually increases risk of T. gondii infection. And he acknowledges that the incidence of human toxoplasmosis, as measured through antibody levels, has decreased steadily in the U.S. and Northern Europe during the past two decades. A 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in U.S.-born people ages 12 to 49 dropped from about 14.1 percent to 9 percent between 1999 and 2004.

That decline could be driven in part by increased freezing of meat, so fewer people are becoming infected with T. gondii tissue cysts from raw beef, for instance, he explained. The CDC says that toxoplasmosis caused by eating infected meat is a leading cause of deaths form foodborne illness in the U.S.

Overall, however, the CDC estimates that although 60 million men, women and children in the U.S. may be infected with the T. gondii parasite, very few have symptoms because the human immune system typically keeps illness at bay.

“This is not considered a big problem,” Torrey admitted.

Indeed, responsible cat owners are likely at lower risk than others, said Kimberly May, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the American Veterinary Medical Association. Those owners empty litter boxes frequently, wash their hands and keep kids away from cat feces, she said. The bigger risk for T. gondii comes from gardening without gloves or failing to follow those precautions.

"We are concerned that cats are being the scapegoats for this," she said.

No question, the number of cats in U.S. homes is on the rise. Between 1989 and 2006, cat ownership increased about 50 percent, from 54.6 million to 81.7 million pets. During the same time, dog ownership rose by 38 percent, from 52.4 million to 72.1 million dogs. In 2012, 86.4 million cats were owned in the U.S, compared with 78.2 million dogs, according to statistics from the Humane Society of the United States.

The number of feral cats in the U.S. has been estimated at at least 25 million, but could be much higher, Torrey noted.

With about 1 percent of cats shedding oocysts at any given time, perhaps 55 million oocysts per day, it could be a more serious problem than is now recognized, Torrey contends. Oocysts can survive up to 18 months and perhaps longer, he noted.

“This should raise the public health concerns about the number of T. gondii oocysts being distributed in the environment, especially as we do not know the limits of oocyst viability or the true relationship between these oocysts and the human diseases with which they have recently been associated.”

That’s a view downplayed by infectious disease experts, including Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

He said that the recognized risks of toxoplasmosis infection are well known – and well communicated to the people who may be most affected, including pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.

But the links between the infection and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are tenuous, he said.

“The association has been discussed, but it has not been completely accepted by everyone,” he said. “If people were convinced of that, we would have acted on it.”

Still, Torrey said he worries about what future research will confirm and wants pet owners to be proactive now.

Cats are nice pets, said Torrey, who emphasized that his intent was not to anger feline fans. But when his young granddaughter wanted a kitten, he advised her mom to say no.

“I don’t think that they are ideal pets for children,” he said. “I don’t think we know enough.”

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