Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe Conversation Original report by Amy Wilson, Peter Marra & Scott WilsonTuesday 16 June 2026 15:46 BSTOur pets can sometimes also be a source of unwelcome pathogens and diseases (Getty)Research indicates that outdoor-roaming pet cats are three to five times more likely to carry zoonotic pathogens, which can infect humans, compared to indoor-only cats.Outdoor pet cats have similar odds of carrying at least one zoonotic pathogen as feral cats, with nearly 100 types of such pathogens detected in cats, including rabies and Salmonella.These risks are amplified because a high percentage of owned cats have unsupervised outdoor access, leading to interactions with wildlife and contamination of public spaces through defecation.Cats hunting wildlife, such as rodents and bats, can create a pathway for pathogens circulating in wild populations to reach people's homes.The most effective intervention is to prevent unsupervised outdoor roaming, advocating for supervised outdoor access or enclosures, alongside essential veterinary care like vaccinations and parasite treatments.In fullWhy letting your cat outside could put you at riskThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in