A feline zoonosis is a viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, nematode or arthropod infection that can be transmitted to humans from the domesticated cat, Felis catus.

Some of these diseases are reemerging and newly emerging infections or infestations caused by zoonotic pathogens transmitted by cats.

[1] People can acquire cat-associated infections through bites, scratches or other direct contact of the skin or mucous membranes with the cat.

Pathogens can also infect people when there is contact with animal saliva, urine and other body fluids or secretions.

[4] Some contagious infections such as campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis cause visible symptoms of the disease in cats.

Fleas and ticks can carry pathogenic organisms that infect a person with Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and Rocky mountain spotted fever.

The signs of cowpox infection in cats can be seen as, multiple skin sores on the paws, neck, head and mouth.

Estimates that 50% of human cases of cowpox are due to transmission from cats in the United Kingdom.

[10] The bacterium Pasteurella multocida and its genus can pose a risk of severe diseases in high-risk groups such as the elderly, transplant recipients, cancer patients and immunocompromised individuals.

[1][3] The bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus can pose a risk of severe diseases in high-risk groups such as the elderly, transplant recipients, cancer patients and immunocompromised individuals.

[1] The Staphylococcus intermedius bacteria, a common commensal on cats, is associated with infection in humans.

[12] Leptospirosis infection associated with cat urine has been identified as an emerging bacterial pathogen in some European countries.

[1] Echinococcus multilocularis can infect cats and then be transmitted to their owners to cause human alveolar echinococcosis.

The most common symptoms of cheyletiellosis in people include itching, redness, and raised bumps on areas of the skin that touched the infested animal.

Kittens with ringworm have patches that are hairless, circular, or irregularly shaped areas of scaling, crusting, and redness that may or may not be itchy.

[1] Paragonimiasis, or lung fluke uses cats as a reservoir and subsequently can transmit the infection to humans.

Signs symptoms in humans are coughing up blood, migration of the flukes into other body organs including the central nervous system.

There it can cause neurological symptoms such as headache, confusion, convulsions, vision problems, and bleeding in the brain.

[20] Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted through contaminated food or water from an infected person or animal.

Cryptosporidiosis can cause profuse, watery diarrhea with cramping, abdominal pain, and nausea in people.

If someone is licked on their face, mucous membranes or an open wound, the risk for infection is reduced if the area is immediately washed with soap and water.

Maintaining the health of the animal by regular inspection for fleas and ticks, scheduling deworming medications along with veterinary exams will also reduce the risk of acquiring a feline zoonosis.