Cat Scratch Disease
A scary fact - about 1/3 of the cats in Texas are carriers of the bacteria, Bartonella, which causes Cat Scratch Disease in people.

The number of infected cats is even higher in stray cats, shelter cats, and cats heavily infected with fleas.

Fleas pass the Bartonella bacteria from cat to cat. People can contract this disease from a cat scratch or bite, and in rare cases from an infected flea. About 22,000 human cases of Cat Scratch Disease occur each year.

The good news. We have a simple blood test to detect infected cats. Even better, there is an oral antibiotic that can remove this bacteria from your cat. It's smart to screen all cats owned by people with young children or cats that have contact with a person who has a suppressed immune system from chemotherapy or HIV.

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