8. The cat friendly mouse.
A study at the University of California has discovered that when mice are infected with a parasite that can only complete its life cycle in the gut of a cat, its brain is affected in a way that makes it lose its fear of cats. This way, from the parasite’s point of view, it can get back into the cat’s digestive system and reproduce. The mouse only has to come into contact with the feces of a cat to be infected. The parasite – Taxoplasma gondii – not only has long-term effects on their brain, it has been linked to mental illness in humans. It is estimated that 60 million Americans are infected with Taxoplasma gondii, which is linked to schizophrenia, bi-polar disease, OCD and even clumsiness!