83 



It is undeniable that the cat may be affected by certain dis- 

 eases and that it may transmit some infections, such as scarlet 

 fever or smallpox, to man. But in the nature of the case much 

 of the evidence is not such as would convince the bacteriologist, 

 and probably some recent writers have inadvertently exagger- 

 ated in the popular prints the danger of infection from the cat. 



Nevertheless, it will be conceded that as a carrier of disease, 

 especially to children., no animal has greater opportunities. Any 

 domesticated animal may act as a distributor of disease. Even 

 fowls and pigeons have been accused of the offense; but the 

 relations of the cat with mankind and with other domesticated 

 animals and rodent pests are such as to suggest increased 

 chances of spreading infection. It exceeds all other domesti- 

 cated animals in numbers. It is less under control than any 

 other. It is more generally allowed to enter sick rooms, sleeping 

 apartments, kitchens, living rooms and places where food is 

 kept, and is more likely to come in contact with milk. Its small 

 size gives it an opportunity to creep into filthy places where 

 most dogs cannot enter. Its habits of pawing over garbage and 

 manure, and of rolling in dirt and clawing or pawing it, seem to 

 suggest unpleasant possibilities, particularly as it comes com- 

 monly into close contact with the mouths and nostrils of chil- 

 dren. The licking of its fur, by which infectious matter — pecul- 

 iar to its own diseases — may be smeared over its whole body, may 

 be weighed also in considering the likelihood of its spreading disease. 



Dr. Caroline A. Osborne was the first to make a special effort 

 to call public attention to the possible danger of infection by 

 means of the cat, in a paper entitled "The Cat, A Neglected 

 Factor in Sanitary Science."^ This was followed by another 

 paper entitled "The Cat and the Transmission of Disease," pub- 

 lished in the "Chicago Medical Recorder" in May, 1912. In 

 these papers Dr. Osborne maintains that science demonstrates 

 that forms of animal life living with man may become infected 

 with human disease organisms, and may transmit those organ- 

 isms to man as well as to each other. The cat is the pet of small 

 children, is handled, hugged and kissed by them, often becomes 

 the playmate of a sick child, and is allowed to wander into the 

 street where it meets other cats, or into other houses where it is 

 fondled by other children. 



Cohen says that domestic animals, especially house pets, and 

 homeless cats and dogs probably are responsible for many cases 

 in local quarantine.^ 



> Pedagogical Seminary, Vol. 14, No. 4, December, 1907, pp. 439-459. 



* Cohen, Solomon Solis, editor: System of Physiological Therapeutics, Vol. 5, 1903, pp. 144, 340. 



