Diagnosis: Crazy Cat Lady

Crazy Cat Lady - cra·zy cat  la·dy - /ˈkrāzē/kat//ˈlādē/  
Definition: A mentally-ill woman who always surrounds herself with a large number of cats. She usually screams gibberish and/or throws her cats at passersby.

We all know the type. We've all been victims of the overused cat lady joke at Christmas (when you are single yet again). Here is the kicker, being a crazy cat lady may be attributed to a common and stealthy parasite making itself at home in your brain.

Evolutionary biologist Jaroslav Flegr and colleagues at Charles University in Prague suggests these wild-eyed, messy haired ladies making youtube videos of their cats may not just be obsessed, they may be victims of a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (Toxo). This nasty little feline accessory is carried by cats and can be transmitted to humans through contaminated water or litters.

It is said that the presence of Toxo in the brain causes an increase in the concentration of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which results in behavioral modifications. Flegr discovered that the Toxo-provoked behaviors developed in rats included greater attraction to cats, slowed reaction times, lethargy, and a reduction in fear, all of which also showed up in infected humans along with a demonstrated increase in car crashes and a high likelihood of mental disorders. It is thought that there could be a correlation between this sneaky toxin, which hitchhikes on your white blood cells, and the token wacky cat lady who coughs up fur balls in the frozen fish section of your local grocery.

More research into this controversial topic is needed. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the general population is not at high risk for Toxo, and if it is found in a healthy person, it is generally not treated. As for myself, I interpret this as a golden ticket to skip off into the sunset to crazy town, my pockets brimming with kitty kibble. To each their own. See you there.