The Catster article reports on a correlational study of subjective well-being across 93 countries. The study examined the relationship between cat density, exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, socioeconomic status, and national happiness.
Countries with more pet cats tended to report higher happiness levels. The article stresses that the study is correlational. Researchers did not find that cats cause higher happiness, and the study compared whole countries rather than following individuals who adopted cats.
The article also says national income had a stronger relationship with happiness than cat density. It cites a Pearson correlation coefficient of around 0.80 for national income and 0.62 for cat numbers.
The researchers also examined T. gondii. Countries with more people showing signs of recent infection tended to have lower happiness scores. The article notes that the infection estimates came from pregnant women, which may not represent the whole population. It also says the study does not prove the parasite causes unhappiness.
The article gives practical hygiene advice for cat owners. It says T. gondii oocysts generally need one to five days after being shed to become infectious, and it recommends daily litter scooping, handwashing, thorough cooking of meat, and washing produce. It advises pregnant women and people with weak immune systems to consult their