VANCOUVER â Cat lovers, there's more to your pet's litter box than meets the eye. Millions of parasites may be crawling in your cat's waste.
Researchers believe those tiny pests can cause disease in marine life and humans.
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A young cat can shed up to 100 million little egg-like structures in its feces.
Researchers said the parasites get into the ocean through storm runoff, where mussels and other sea creatures may eat them. All it takes is one of the eggs to cause an infection.
Experts discussed these issues Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver.
In humans, the parasites can cause problems for infants born to infected mothers, including hearing loss, mental disability and blindness.
Scientists recommend paying attention to how you dispose of your cat's litter and where you get your shellfish.