Prague - Kicking the cat may be a metaphor about venting frustrations on the innocent family feline, but could it be that Snowball really is to blame?
Czech scientist Jaroslav Flegr of Charles University in Prague said his research showed a parasite called toxoplasma gondii in cats, rabbits or raw meat, may make women reckless and friendly while making men jealous and morose.
Just contracting the bug might not be life-threatening but infected women behind the wheel can be fatal, and those out for a stroll may be a hazard.
"Toxoplasmosis raises the risk of a traffic accident 2,6 times by prolonging the reaction time of infected people," he said.
"It is not only about driving accidents but also about the probability of being run over."
Infected men tended to be quiet, withdrawn, suspicious, jealous and dogmatic. He could not find a reason for the different reactions.
The illness could be responsible for up to one million deaths on the roads worldwide, making it one of the deadliest parasitic diseases, second only to malaria, he said. - Reuters