# Oh, Ivy! You just won't do! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 21, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506 "2023-09-21T22:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/1 "2023-09-21T22:52:03Z")
Ivy has hit a new level. Y’all know her cat history. Synopsis: She’s afraid of cats. She took a job in my home knowing I have several. She has acquired, by mistake, a cat of her own, at her house. Who gave birth to two cute babies(since adopted out) Y’all know her bubonic butt history. Synopsis: She got a big ol’ boil on her _Not_ butt. But, yes butt. Required medical attention. Now she tells me(she’s a trained medical caretaker…of me!) “Cats give you diseases!” Her voice didn’t crack. She didn’t look deceitful. I don’t think she’s insane. Ok, ok. I got cat scratch fever once from a feral-ish foster I was tending to. NM that. But, Cats can’t really give you a disease? Can they? I mean vaccinated cats? Who live in close proximity to me? Need answer kinda fast. As it’s feeding time for the beasties. Please say it ain’t so. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/2 "2023-09-21T23:41:48Z")
I was gonna say that cats give you toxoplasmosis, which might cause depression. But I guess that’s been debunked. > **[There's Little Evidence That The Infamous 'Cat Parasite' Causes Psychological...](https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-little-evidence-that-the-infamous-cat-parasite-causes-psychological-changes-in-humans-study-finds)** > > It’s been blamed for increasing the risk of severe depression, suicide, schizophrenia, personality changes, and poor impulse control, but Toxoplasma gondii - the cat-borne parasite that’s infected up to 50 percent of the world’s population -... I think you’re good. Just watch out for the ones that are frothing at the mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/3 "2023-09-21T23:51:43Z")
I’ve eaten off the same utensils as cats many a time, and I’m FIIIIIIIIINE. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/4 "2023-09-21T23:54:54Z")
I have to be careful not to rub my eyes after I pet the cat, or they will itch and burn. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/5 "2023-09-22T00:27:56Z")
Cats don’t give their handlers disease … it’s a matter of sheer self interest. They don’t really care whether you die or not … but you are the most likely one to feed them. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/6 "2023-09-22T00:28:59Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I was gonna say that cats give you toxoplasmosis, which might cause depression. But I guess that’s been debunked. It might cause you to be attracted to cats. But I don’t want to not be attracted to cats, so I don’t care. And if I’m going to catch anything from cats, I’m sure I’ve already got it. I’ve had some 71 years of close exposure. Cats sleep on my pillow, and have since I was an infant. I’ve been scratched, bitten, pissed on, and very thoroughly shedded upon. I have cleaned up lots of cat puke as well as cat pans, and cuddled cats as they died, and for a little while after. Beck, don’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/7 "2023-09-22T00:55:14Z")
I had my baby Merlin for twelve years before I found out I was allergic to cats. Well he stayed with us another three years until the end. We have no cats now, and it’s probably for the best, but man do I love those critters. ---
**Author:** ![Quondam\_Mechanic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quondam_mechanic/32/3404_2.png) [@Quondam\_Mechanic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quondam_Mechanic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/8 "2023-09-22T01:03:41Z")
If you count being attracted to cats as a disease, yes. Otherwise, you can tell Ivy that you have had in the course of your life both cats and diseases, and the one is apparently not the cause of the other. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/9 "2023-09-22T01:15:32Z")
E—xactly. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/10 "2023-09-22T01:16:19Z")
Username checks out. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/11 "2023-09-22T06:17:53Z")
**Beck** , you have to remember that it takes a long time to cure an Ivy of all the poison in her mind. (How’d I miss the boil story? And do I really want to know what that was about?) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/12 "2023-09-22T06:24:35Z")
Oh, I made a thread. "Bubonic Plague!?Again?"happy belated birthday Nellie ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/13 "2023-09-22T07:09:06Z")
Just read it. Ew. As in EWWWWW! I’m glad _that’s_ over with. I know Ivy came to help you, but it’s looking more and more like she’s another stray who was drawn to you. And thanks for the birthday wishes! ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/14 "2023-09-22T10:40:33Z")
Parasites from animal fecal matter like tapeworms hookworms roundworms can infect humans but unless she’s digging in the dirt and not washing her hands I wouldn’t worry. The children otoh are known disease carriers 😉 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/15 "2023-09-22T13:14:45Z")
Yeah, you’re really always more likely to catch something from someone of your own species. There are things you can catch from (and transmit to) cats, and dogs, and cows, and horses, and pigs, and for that matter wild creatures. But there’s going to be fewer of them than of the things you can catch from other humans. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/16 "2023-09-22T16:21:30Z")
Grand-wrex=biological weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/17 "2023-09-22T19:21:11Z")
According to the CDC website, you can give covid to your cat. There was no mention of the vector going the other way. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/18 "2023-09-22T19:45:04Z")
Oh shoot. Where am I gonna find them tiny masks? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/19 "2023-09-22T21:23:42Z")
> **[Amazon.com : wintchuk Cat Muzzle with Breathable Mesh, Cat Mouth Guard Muzzle...](https://www.amazon.com/wintchuk-Breathable-Prevent-Chewing-Grooming/dp/B08M9B5PMY)** > > Amazon.com : wintchuk Cat Muzzle with Breathable Mesh, Cat Mouth Guard Muzzle for Prevent Biting Chewing Grooming (M,Black) : Pet Supplies ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-ivy-you-just-wont-do/990506/20 "2023-09-22T22:41:23Z")
Click! Ordered. 😷