And I became aware of the potential for legal liability if one of my customers should become sick following the sale of one of my animals. The organism that causes psittacosis is the same one that causes the very common chlamydial eye and respiratory infections in cats. However, the spread of this organism from cat to human is much rarer than from bird to human. However, in this day and age it is much more likely that one day we will place a pet into a home with an immunocompromised person. Lowering of the immune system by chemotherapy for cancer, prolonged use of steroids, or HIV infection increases the risk that a pet kitten may spread one of a variety of diseases to an unsuspecting new owner.
Ringworm is probably the most common zoonosis of cats.
If you have EVER had ringworm in your cattery, chances are it will pop up again. I advise all cattery owners to inspect their kitten sales contracts carefully and consider putting in a warning about the possibility of ringworm infection. Otherwise, you may see yourself in court someday trying to defend yourself against a demand for reimbursement for the costs of medical treatment for a six year old and all the children in his first grade class. I have not yet heard of a situation where a cattery owner was held liable for severe fungal infection in an AIDS patient, but that is probably only a matter of time. Bacterial Infections can be spread from cats to humans.