In 2015, a 14-year-old patient developed schizophrenia with hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and murderous thoughts. He also believed that his cat was trying to kill him, which was closer to the truth than you might think.
His domestic cat was not actually a killer maniac, but it harbored the pathogen Bartonella henselae, which is associated with 'feline scratch disease'. '
This bacterium is commonly found in the blood of cats, especially kittens, and just one bite or scratch may be enough to transmit the pathogen to humans, causing localized swelling and lesions, in addition to heart and nervous system problems.
An unnamed patient developed psychiatric symptoms in 2015, claiming to be the “damned son of the devil,” experiencing outbreaks of violence and suspecting that the family cat was trying to kill him.
Now, according to new research by scientists from North Carolina State University, in extremely rare cases, "feline disease" can also cause extreme schizophrenia.