Association Between Childhood Exposure to Pet Cats and Later Diagnosis of Schizophrenia: A Case-Control Study in Saudi Arabia.

There is an increasing number of reports suggesting an effect of adverse environmental factors during vulnerable periods of prenatal and perinatal development in the etiology of schizophrenia. Cat-transmitted infections, especially , are possible risk factors for the later development of schizophrenia. We conducted a case-control study to examine childhood cat ownership in 78 patients with schizophrenia (cases), 78 outpatients with depression and anxiety disorders (control group one), and 78 outpatients with no psychiatric history (control group two).