Parasites: The Cause of Crazy Cat Love?

We love cats because they're adorable, right? Maybe. . .or maybe not.

An article on Time Magazine's website examines strange new research which shows that a parasite that lives within cats, taxoplasma gondii, makes cats attractive as opposed to scary to their natural prey.

The parasite works by making what a cat's prey would normally find scary pleasurable, such as the scent of urine, and attracts the prey to it. In laymen's terms, it's kind of like the parasite casts a spell on whoever is infected, clouding their usual judgments.

The parasite, oddly enough, has been shown to be able to infect humans, affecting behavior and even the risk of schizophrenia and schizophrenic behavior.

Does this mean that we think cats are attractive because we've been touched by the parasite?

Probably not; there hasn't been any research to show that our love for cats is fueled by a parasite.

So for now, we'll just stick to the conclusion that we love our cats because they're cute and cuddly.

What do you think our love of cats is caused by? Let us know in a comment!