Dear doctor;

I have two cats for pets in the home. Recently, a visitor to my place said cats can cause diseases such as asthma, that their fur fall off and emit infections to humans. Is this true?

Edna Mukamusoni, Kigali.

Dear Edna,

Cats are delightful pets to keep at home. But one has to be cautious also while handling them. The fur of cats can cause allergy in susceptible individuals inducing and aggravating asthma, cold, eczema, among other problems. Microbes causing  pneumonias can be passed from cats to human beings if the cat coughs or sneezes. Another issue is, paws of cats can harbour disease-producing germs  like that of salmonella, shigella, (causing diarrhoeal disease and typhoid), toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis (causing grave illness), among others. The list is long but not to frighten a pet lover. It is important to maintain a healthy distance from pets, kissing them is not healthy. Keep the plate and bowl of cat separate from human use. One should always wash hands thoroughly after handling a pet.