Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy
The Atlantic ^ | 2/11/2012 | Kathleen McAuliffe

Posted on 02/11/2012 9:24:18 AM PST by JoanVarga

"In fact, he says, schizophrenia did not rise in prevalence until the latter half of the 18th century, when for the first time people in Paris and London started keeping cats as pets. The so-called cat craze began among “poets and left-wing avant-garde Greenwich Village types,” says Torrey, but the trend spread rapidly—and coinciding with that development, the incidence of schizophrenia soared. "

***

“If I had to guess,” says Torrey, “I’d say 75 percent of cases of schizophrenia are associated with infectious agents, and Toxo would be involved in a significant subset of those.”

***

"Closer inspection of Flegr’s reaction-time results revealed that infected subjects became less attentive and slowed down a minute or so into the test. This suggested to him that Toxoplasma might have an adverse impact on driving, where constant vigilance and fast reflexes are critical. He launched two major epidemiological studies in the Czech Republic, one of men and women in the general population and another of mostly male drivers in the military. Those who tested positive for the parasite, both studies showed, were about two and a half times as likely to be in a traffic accident as their uninfected peers. "

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Conspiracy; Education; Health/Medicine; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: cat; cats; crazy; democrats; kittyping; schizophrenia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last
To: Sequoyah101

We considerer ourselves Dat people here since we have owned both and sometimes at the same time.We are both conservative and we are now owned by the friendliest little feline yellow guy you have ever seen/ :)


41 posted on 02/11/2012 1:46:10 PM PST by chris_bdba
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: FDNYRHEROES
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
42 posted on 02/11/2012 3:08:40 PM PST by LucyT (**** Who is Barry Soetoro? ****)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Lady Lucky

Yeah; I remember old Toonces - the cat who could wreck a car.


43 posted on 02/11/2012 4:50:53 PM PST by Twinkie (John 3:16)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

Cat lady here....Conservative.


44 posted on 02/11/2012 5:28:05 PM PST by Fawn (Anyone but OBOZO!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: snooter55

Pit Bulls = Moving targets..


45 posted on 02/11/2012 5:31:08 PM PST by Fawn (Anyone but OBOZO!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

I’m a dog person with zero dogs, but two cats. And I love both my kittehs, and I’m a conservative.


46 posted on 02/11/2012 6:08:14 PM PST by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (You cannot fix stupid. Not even with JB Weld.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

I’m a dog person with zero dogs, but two cats. And I love both my kittehs, and I’m a conservative.


47 posted on 02/11/2012 6:08:32 PM PST by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (You cannot fix stupid. Not even with JB Weld.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Fawn
Copy that Fawn !
I had another neighbor that had a pit . It burst through a storm door and came running straight for my wife,myself and “Snooter”, our Sheltie as we were walking the block. Some will not believe this but the owner caught up to the beast as he was about 15 ft. away from us ..... I was gonna drop the hammer on the Colt .45 @ 10 ft.. They left the neighbohood within 2 weeks. Thought we were too rough for his tastes...... Buh-Bye Big Guy !
Looking back , perhaps I should have dropped the hammer on the owner - lack of training , absolutely no control over the animal. Voice commands nonexistent. Animal cruelty of the highest order.
Snoot ;o)
48 posted on 02/11/2012 6:19:37 PM PST by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: JoanVarga

Cats....such little animals....so much ATTITUDE...


49 posted on 02/11/2012 7:13:56 PM PST by FDNYRHEROES (It's 3 AM. Let me sleep on it. I'll get back to you in 16 hours.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FDNYRHEROES
Well, this would explain why all those women with 20 cats are crazy!

The same article tells of people infected with the flu virus - how they become more social and extroverted while contagious - (before they come down with major symptoms...) the better to spread the virus.

Soon scientists will discover a strange cat virus that makes women crazy to collect more cats - to spread the crazy cat virus...

50 posted on 02/11/2012 7:22:06 PM PST by GOPJ (GAS WAS $1.85 per gallon on the day Obama was Inaugurated! - - freeper Gaffer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: A_perfect_lady

Most cat people don’t give a crap about leash laws and let their “indoor” cats outside all the time, and then scream for them to come home, pissing off the neighbors.


51 posted on 02/11/2012 11:01:21 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

Liberal. They let their cats crap and hunt on everyone else’s lawns and believe leash laws don’t apply to their animals. They will scream at you if you show them the law that shows all animals need to be under the owner’s control at all times.


52 posted on 02/11/2012 11:02:58 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: the_Watchman

No blood anymore is well done.


53 posted on 02/11/2012 11:03:44 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man

We had one cat for years. She adopted my son when we were on a Florida island for a couple of months. We held like that for about ten years and then...the oldest son brought his two cats to us as he headed off to study in Europe. Now we have three and it is too many.


54 posted on 02/11/2012 11:19:37 PM PST by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: SaraJohnson

I feel for you because you were at the right number for your house and you had another person place their cats onto you, and then left you in charge of all of them.

I don’t have a real beef with cats either, one of my favorite cats was a neighbor cat who acted like a dog to me. Loved that guy more than his owner did. Saved his life a couple times too.


55 posted on 02/11/2012 11:26:52 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: snooter55

Actually, as you probably realize, I was trying to hurt you as much as you hurt us cat lovers. I figured your type was a pitbull lover.


56 posted on 02/12/2012 5:44:04 PM PST by Fawn (Anyone but OBOZO!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Fawn
My Dear Fawn ,
You figured wrong. “MY” type ? I never intended to hurt any cat lovers. To each his/her own. And your attempt to hurt me has succeeded. Congratulations. Snooter55 and family loves ALL domesticated animals. Mostly, it's their owners that I have problems with. They , for the most part , mold the animals into what they become. An obedient, loving, protective pet or just another wild animal that does as it pleases .... you know , like cats .
57 posted on 02/13/2012 1:15:55 PM PST by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: benewton
You don’t own a cat, they own you.

Dogs have owners-Cats have staff.

58 posted on 02/13/2012 1:18:46 PM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

 GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach
Thanks JoanVarga.
"If I had to guess," says Torrey, "I'd say 75 percent of cases of schizophrenia are associated with infectious agents, and Toxo would be involved in a significant subset of those."
Worth it.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.


59 posted on 02/20/2012 6:50:33 AM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: JoanVarga

Cats are actually tiny women in little fur coats...

That’s why they drive us crazy...


60 posted on 02/20/2012 7:33:40 AM PST by tarheelswamprat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson