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Can You Get Addicted to Cats?

Photo of four kittens illustrates how cats can become addictive.

We have covered some unusual addictions here at AddictionNews. An addiction to eating toilet paper? Yup. It’s called xylophagia, and we covered it here. Last week, we wrote about an addiction to telling bad jokes. It’s real, it’s called witzelsucht, and we covered it here.

Today, we’re going to look at whether you can get addicted to cats. There are two major kinds of cat addiction. The first is where you just can’t get enough of those furry feline friends, whether petting them in public or stockpiling them at home. The second is an addiction to cat videos, a widely shared compulsion to watch cats do silly things.

Let’s start with the real-life, fuzzy, furry cat lover. Can you become addicted to cats? Yes, say researchers. They point to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, or T. gondii, which is carried by cats and also by roughly two billion people. According to the Australian Academy of Science:

To date, there is only one known place where T. gondii can sexually reproduce: in the intestinal tract of a cat.

So here’s the theory of how people become addicted to cats. I’m not making this up. They become exposed to T. gondii by being in proximity to cat poop. The parasite causes a condition called toxoplasmosis. The parasite cannot reproduce unless it gets out of your body and back into a cat. Therefore, it chemically encourages you to seek out cats.

As if that were not fascinating enough, toxoplasmosis is also associated with “an increase in aggressive and impulsive behaviors.” It works on the brain’s reward system in patterns that are completely familiar to addiction science. There’s reduced sensitivity to risk, irritability, and a tendency to isolate socially — just not from cats!

Don’t blame the cats, say researchers: “You are actually far more likely to contract a T. gondii infection through handling or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables.” However you come by it, toxoplasmosis makes you attracted to cats, sometimes to the detriment of your own health.

The term “crazy-cat-syndrome” was used to describe severe cases of toxoplasmosis where persons lived in squalor with dozens of cats. In one study, toxoplasmosis was linked with aggression in women (but not men), impulsivity in young men, and suicidal self-directed violence in both men and women.

Researchers say that unless you are pregnant or immune compromised, you don’t need to be particularly concerned about toxoplasmosis. They recommend cooking meat well, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and taking precautions when cleaning cat litter. They recommend wearing a mask and gloves and washing your hands thoroughly after.

Now, as to those cat videos, yes, you can get addicted to them as well. It all starts with stress. Watching cats do silly things in videos relieves stress. It makes people laugh and it results in a dopamine hit. One publication citing the joys of watching cat videos mentioned these appealing traits:

  • hilarious comedic prowess
  • unbridled kitten energy
  • unpredictable and captivating
  • self-defeating silliness

Another publication, about achieving a productive mindset, placed the blame for addiction to cat videos on their immediate effect on the brain’s reward system. The problem is the videos only work as long as you’re watching. “The reward from cat videos, though, is limited to the time spent viewing them. Compare this to an activity like writing a book, which carries a lifelong reward of satisfaction.”

If you think you are addicted to cats, we recommend you step away from the litter box and possibly consult with your doctor about toxoplasmosis. And if you’re addicted to watching cat videos, we recommend you consult our collection of articles on internet addiction, with helpful tips for reducing video consumption to normal levels.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published January 14, 2025.

Sources:

“The link between cats, your brain and your behaviour,” Australian Academy of Science, Retrieved January 9, 2025.

“‘Latent’ infection with Toxoplasma gondii: Association with trait aggression and impulsivity in healthy adults,” Journal of Psychiatric Research, January 2015.

“Why do we love our cats, and what does it mean for our health?,” Medical News Today, December 26, 2022.

“Why We Watch Cat Videos On Youtube,” Mini Habits, Retrieved January 9, 2025.

Image Copyright: vershininphoto.

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