Cat Exposure Linked to Higher Schizophrenia Risk, Review Finds

A 2023 meta-analysis of 17 studies across 11 countries finds an association between cat exposure and higher risk of schizophrenia-related disorders, with exposed individuals about twice as likely to develop schizophrenia; however, the evidence is observational, often inconsistent, and causality cannot be established, underscoring the need for higher-quality, large-scale research and further exploration of mechanisms like Toxoplasma gondii.