Owning cat while pregnant linked to increased risk of postpartum depression, study finds

Scientists have claimed that the type of pet expectant mothers own could have an impact on maintaining their mental health following their child’s birth, Andy Gregory reports

Cat ownership during pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk of postpartum depression (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Owning a cat while pregnant has been linked to an increased risk of postpartum depression in a new study – which also found the reverse to be true for dog ownership.

The researchers at Japan’s University of Toyama were unable to explain the association they discovered between cat ownership and a heightened risk of mental health issues in new mothers.

But the paper’s lead author Kenta Matsumura said the findings suggested that special attention must be paid to cat owners, who are also at a higher risk of toxoplasmosis – an infection which can cause miscarriage or stillbirth in some cases.