Almost everyone has the idea in their heads that city rats can spread diseases. But about pets
The situation is especially bad with free-roamingcats. They play a central role in the life cycle of a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) that infects both animals and humans. T. gondii infections can have severe and life-threatening consequences, especially for immunocompromised people and infants.
Domestic cats secrete millions of T. eggs.gondii into the environment through feces. They persist under favorable conditions for many years in water and soil. If any warm-blooded animal ingests an egg, it can become infected with T. gondii. Scientists analyzed the data and found that the more free-roaming domestic cats in an area, the higher the levels of T. gondii infection there.
Rabies is another disease whose riskincreased in free-roaming cats. In general, there is a consensus among veterinarians, environmentalists, public health experts and animal rights activists that the free movement of domestic cats is detrimental to the well-being of the cats themselves, wildlife and human health.