The most common diseases you can catch from your pets include ringworm, salmonella, cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, and rabies. These zoonotic illnesses spread through saliva, feces, urine, bites, scratches, and shared living spaces. Fortunately, simple hygiene habits like hand washing and regular vet visits keep most pet owners perfectly safe.
Our team dug into CDC data, veterinary research, and real pet owner questions from forums to separate real risks from overblown fears. If you have ever wondered whether that dog lick on the face or that cat scratch on your arm should worry you, this guide breaks down exactly what can and cannot cross between you and your pet.
Roughly 6 out of every 10 infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic, meaning they originate in animals. But having a dog or cat does not mean living in constant worry. The vast majority of pet-to-human transmissions are preventable and rare in healthy adults. Let us look at what the science actually says.
Table of Contents
What Counts as a Disease You Can Catch From Pets?
Diseases that spread between animals and humans are called zoonotic diseases, and they have been part of human life for as long as we have kept animals. The CDC estimates that more than 60 percent of human infectious diseases originate in animals, though most of those come from wildlife and livestock rather than household pets.
When it comes to cats and dogs, transmission happens through a few main routes. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites can travel through saliva, feces, urine, skin contact, bites, and scratches. Some also hitch a ride on external parasites like ticks and fleas that ride into your home on your pet.
The actual risk depends on several factors: the health of your pet, your own immune system, and how much close contact you share. A healthy adult with one indoor cat faces very different risks than a family with outdoor dogs, young children, and a compost pile in the backyard. Context matters enormously.
It is also worth knowing that many common pet illnesses, like canine parvovirus, distemper, feline leukemia, and kennel cough, cannot infect humans at all. These are species-specific. The diseases listed below are the ones that genuinely can make the jump.
Common Diseases You Can Catch From Dogs
Dogs are incredibly close companions, which means plenty of shared surfaces, licks, and cuddles. Here are the diseases that research shows can actually transfer from dogs to people.
Salmonella and Campylobacter
Both of these bacteria cause gastrointestinal illness in humans, with symptoms like diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Dogs can carry these germs in their digestive tracts without showing any symptoms themselves, which makes them silent spreaders.
Transmission usually happens through contact with dog feces, contaminated food bowls, or raw pet food diets. Studies have linked raw food diets for dogs with higher Salmonella shedding rates. If you feed your dog raw meat, the risk of bacterial transmission goes up significantly.
Most healthy adults recover within a week, but these infections can be serious for young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread through the urine of infected animals, including dogs. The bacteria survive in water and soil for weeks, and humans typically catch it through contact with contaminated water or soil while cleaning up after pets.
Symptoms in humans range from mild fever and headache to severe illness involving kidney damage, liver failure, and meningitis. The CDC notes that leptospirosis is more common in warm, wet climates and in areas where dogs are exposed to wildlife or standing water.
There is a leptospirosis vaccine for dogs, and our team strongly recommends discussing it with your veterinarian if your dog spends time outdoors, swims, or lives in an endemic area.
Ringworm
Despite the name, ringworm is not a worm at all. It is a fungal infection that causes a red, itchy, circular rash on the skin. Dogs can carry ringworm spores on their fur, and direct contact with an infected animal easily spreads the fungus to humans.
Puppies and dogs from shelters or breeding facilities are more likely to carry ringworm. The infection is treatable with over-the-counter or prescription antifungal creams, but it can be stubborn and may require weeks of treatment for both you and your pet.
Giardia and Intestinal Parasites
Giardia is a microscopic parasite that causes diarrhea, gas, and stomach cramps in both dogs and humans. It spreads through contaminated water and feces. Picking up dog poop and then touching your mouth without washing your hands is a common route.
Roundworms and hookworms are another concern, particularly for children who play in dirt where dogs have defecated. Roundworm larvae can even migrate through human tissue in rare cases, a condition called toxocariasis, which can affect organs and eyes.
Diseases Cats Commonly Pass to Humans
Cats have their own set of zoonotic diseases, and several of them are undercovered by most online resources. Here is what cat owners should actually know.
Cat Scratch Disease (Bartonellosis)
Cat scratch disease is one of the most common zoonotic infections from cats, yet many pet owners have never heard of it. It is caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae, which cats carry in their blood without getting sick themselves.
The bacteria spread through cat scratches, bites, and flea feces. Kittens are more likely to carry and transmit the bacteria than adult cats. In humans, symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, and headache. Most cases resolve on their own within a few weeks, but people with weakened immune systems can develop serious complications.
If a cat scratch or bite becomes red, warm, or swollen, our team recommends seeing a doctor promptly. Antibiotics may be needed for severe or persistent infections.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, and cats are its primary host. The parasite is shed in cat feces, which is why cleaning the litter box is the main transmission concern for cat owners.
For healthy adults, toxoplasmosis often causes no symptoms or mild flu-like illness. The real danger is for pregnant women, because the parasite can cross the placenta and cause serious birth defects, including brain damage and blindness in the baby. It can also be life-threatening for immunocompromised people.
Pregnant women should avoid cleaning litter boxes if possible. If that is not an option, wearing gloves and washing hands thoroughly afterward reduces risk. Cats that stay indoors and eat commercial cat food are far less likely to carry the parasite.
Cat Bite Infections
Cat bites are deceptively dangerous. A cat’s teeth create deep, narrow puncture wounds that push bacteria deep into tissue. Studies show that up to 50 percent of cat bites become infected, making them more dangerous than dog bites in terms of infection rate.
The bacteria Pasteurella multocida, which lives in the mouths of most cats, causes rapid redness, swelling, and pain within hours of a bite. Deep bites can lead to abscesses, joint infections, and even bone infections. Any cat bite that breaks the skin should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Diseases Spread by Ticks, Fleas, and Other Parasites
Sometimes your pet is not the direct source of disease but rather the delivery system. External parasites that ride on your pet can carry diseases that infect humans.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, and dogs frequently bring ticks into homes. The disease is caused by the bacterium Borreli burgdorferi and transmitted by blacklegged ticks (deer ticks).
In humans, Lyme causes a bullseye rash, fever, fatigue, headache, and joint pain. Left untreated, it can lead to chronic joint inflammation and neurological problems. Dogs can also get Lyme disease, but you cannot catch it directly from your dog. The risk is the shared tick exposure.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
This serious tick-borne disease causes fever, headache, and a distinctive spotted rash. It can be life-threatening if not treated quickly with antibiotics. Both dogs and humans are susceptible, but again, transmission is through the tick itself, not directly from pet to person.
The best defense is year-round tick prevention for your pet. Talk to your vet about oral or topical tick preventives. Checking yourself and your pet for ticks after outdoor activity is also essential.
Flea-Borne Diseases
Fleas can transmit diseases like cat scratch disease (through flea feces on cats), murine typhus, and even plague in rare cases. Keeping your pet on consistent flea prevention protects not just your pet but your entire household.
Viral Diseases From Pets: Rabies and Beyond
When people ask about viral diseases from pets, rabies is the one that comes to mind first. It is also the most feared, and for good reason.
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. It spreads through the saliva of infected animals, usually through bites. Dogs are the primary source of human rabies deaths worldwide, though in the United States, rabies in domestic dogs is extremely rare due to vaccination laws.
If you are bitten by an animal whose rabies status is unknown, seek medical attention immediately. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) shots are highly effective when given promptly. Our team considers keeping your pet’s rabies vaccination current the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your community.
What About Other Viruses?
Here is the reassuring part. Most common pet viruses, including canine influenza, parvovirus, distemper, feline herpesvirus, and feline calicivirus, do not infect humans. These viruses are adapted to specific species and cannot make the jump.
However, reverse zoonosis does happen. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that humans can transmit certain viruses to pets. Cats and dogs have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after close contact with infected owners. The good news is that infected pets typically show mild or no symptoms and do not appear to spread the virus back to humans in significant numbers.
Who Is Most at Risk From Pet Diseases?
Healthy adults with intact immune systems are at relatively low risk for serious zoonotic infections. But certain groups face much higher risks and should take extra precautions.
Young Children
Children under five are particularly vulnerable because their immune systems are still developing and they are more likely to put their hands in their mouths after touching pets or playing in dirt. Toxocariasis from roundworm eggs in soil is a specific concern for toddlers.
Supervising children around pets, teaching them to wash hands, and keeping sandboxes covered are all effective prevention measures.
Pregnant Women
As mentioned earlier, toxoplasmosis is the primary concern during pregnancy. The parasite can cause miscarriage or severe birth defects. Pregnant cat owners should have someone else handle litter box duty, or at minimum wear gloves and wash hands afterward.
Elderly Adults
Older adults may have weakened immune responses, making them more susceptible to infections like Salmonella and Campylobacter, and more likely to experience severe symptoms when they do get sick.
Immunocompromised Individuals
People undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV/AIDS, taking immunosuppressive medications, or recovering from organ transplants face the highest risk. Even normally mild zoonotic infections can become life-threatening. These individuals should discuss pet safety with both their doctor and veterinarian, and consider practical adjustments like avoiding raw pet food diets and using gloves for pet waste cleanup.
How to Prevent Catching Diseases From Your Pets?
Prevention comes down to a few straightforward habits. None of these require giving up the close bond you have with your pet.
Wash Your Hands
This is the single most effective prevention step. Wash your hands with soap and water after handling pets, their food, their waste, or their supplies. This is especially important before eating or preparing food.
Keep Up With Veterinary Care
Regular vet visits, vaccinations, deworming, and parasite prevention for your pet dramatically reduce zoonotic risk. A healthy pet is much less likely to carry transmissible diseases. Our team recommends annual checkups at minimum, with more frequent visits for puppies, kittens, and senior pets.
Practice Safe Food Handling
If you feed your pet a raw diet, be aware of the increased bacterial risk. Wash all food bowls in hot soapy water, and do not wash pet bowls in the same sink where you prepare food without sanitizing afterward.
Handle Waste Properly
Pick up dog poop promptly from your yard. Use a scoop or bag rather than direct contact, and always wash your hands afterward. For cat litter boxes, scoop daily (the toxoplasmosis parasite needs 1 to 5 days after shedding to become infectious), and change litter completely on a regular schedule.
Prevent Bites and Scratches
Do not disturb pets while they are eating or sleeping. Teach children to respect pets’ body language and boundaries. If a bite or scratch breaks the skin, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and monitor for signs of infection.
Manage Parasite Prevention Year-Round
Keep your pet on consistent flea, tick, and heartworm prevention medication. This protects your pet from disease and removes the vectors that carry diseases to humans. Many veterinarians now recommend year-round prevention regardless of climate, since parasite seasons are lengthening.
When to See a Doctor or Visit the Vet?
Knowing when to seek help prevents minor issues from becoming serious. Here are the red flags our team wants you to remember.
See a doctor if you experience any of the following after contact with a pet:
A bite or scratch that becomes red, swollen, warm, or increasingly painful (signs of infection)
Fever, chills, or swollen lymph nodes within two weeks of a cat scratch or bite
Persistent diarrhea, stomach cramps, or vomiting after handling pet waste or raw pet food
Any unexplained skin rash, especially a ring-shaped one, after close pet contact
Flu-like symptoms during pregnancy, particularly if you have an outdoor cat
Any animal bite that breaks the skin warrants medical evaluation, particularly cat bites, which have high infection rates. If rabies exposure is possible, time is critical.
Take your pet to the vet if you notice lethargy, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, diarrhea lasting more than a day, hair loss, or skin lesions. Sick pets are more likely to shed disease-causing organisms, so prompt veterinary care protects your whole household.
Myths About Diseases You Can Catch From Pets
Forum discussions on Reddit reveal a lot of anxiety and misinformation about pet diseases. Let us clear up some common myths.
Myth: Dog Licks Are Dangerous and Will Make You Sick
Reddit users frequently ask whether a dog lick on the face or an open wound is dangerous. The honest answer is that while dog saliva does contain bacteria, the risk to healthy adults is very low. A lick on intact skin is generally harmless. However, letting a dog lick an open wound or your mouth does carry some risk, particularly of Pasteurella or Caprocytophaga infections. People with weakened immune systems should avoid this.
Myth: You Can Catch STDs From Animals
This is a question that appears in PAA results and forum searches. Human sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV are human-specific and cannot be caught from pets. This is simply not a realistic transmission route from household animals.
Myth: Indoor Cats Pose No Disease Risk
Indoor cats have a much lower risk profile, but they are not zero risk. Cats that eat raw meat, hunt indoor prey like mice, or share a home with dogs that go outside can still carry zoonotic pathogens. Litter box hygiene still matters, and parasite prevention is still recommended.
Myth: If Your Pet Looks Healthy, It Cannot Spread Disease
Many zoonotic pathogens, including Salmonella, Giardia, Bartonella, and Toxoplasma, can be carried by animals that appear completely healthy. Regular vet checkups and parasite testing are the only way to know for sure what your pet might be carrying.
Myth: You Should Rehome Your Pet if You Have a Weakened Immune System
Rehoming is rarely necessary. With proper precautions like glove use, hand washing, regular vet care, and having someone else handle waste cleanup, immunocompromised individuals can safely keep their pets. The emotional benefit of pet companionship often outweighs the manageable risks. Always consult with your healthcare team for personalized guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What diseases can humans get from pets?
The most common diseases humans can catch from pets include ringworm, salmonella, cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, campylobacteriosis, giardia infections, and rabies. These spread through saliva, feces, urine, scratches, bites, and shared living spaces. Most are preventable with basic hygiene.
Can I get sick from my dog licking me?
For healthy adults, a dog lick on intact skin is generally harmless. However, letting a dog lick an open wound or your mouth carries some risk of bacterial infection. People with weakened immune systems should avoid being licked on the face or near mucous membranes.
What pet carries the most diseases?
There is no single pet that carries the most diseases, but dogs and cats each carry different zoonotic risks. Dogs are more likely to transmit leptospirosis and tick-borne diseases due to outdoor exposure. Cats are the primary source of cat scratch disease and toxoplasmosis. Reptiles and amphibians carry high rates of Salmonella.
Can you catch diarrhea from a dog?
Yes, dogs can transmit diarrheal illnesses to humans through bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, or parasites like Giardia. These spread through contact with contaminated feces. Washing your hands after handling dog waste and keeping raw food diets away from food prep areas significantly reduces this risk.
Is it safe to sleep with my dog or cat?
For healthy adults, sleeping with pets is generally safe. The CDC recommends keeping pets out of bed if you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or have young infants. Always wash bedding regularly and keep your pet on parasite prevention to minimize any risk.
Can humans get STDs from animals?
No. Human sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV are human-specific and cannot be transmitted by household pets. This is a common myth with no scientific basis.
The bottom line on diseases you can catch from your pets is this: the risks are real but manageable. Ringworm, salmonella, cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis, and leptospirosis are the ones to know about. Hand washing, regular vet care, parasite prevention, and basic food safety handle the vast majority of concerns. Keep your pet healthy, keep your hands clean, and enjoy the companionship that makes pet ownership so rewarding.