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Comment by fhood | Hacker News Reader

I wonder what evolutionary pressure produced my intense desire to pick up kitty cats and bury my face in their tummies if possible. Because reflecting on it, it does seem like an odd behavior.

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Toxoplasmosis - a parasite cats carry that can change your behaviour.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-cats-responsi...

Probably has more to do with how humans are wired to react to their "cute" or baby-like appearances, e.g. large eyes and heads.

I can also say I've always wanted to bury my head in cat tummies, and I recently tested negative for Toxoplasmosis. AFAIK, the infection is more correlated with making men more introverted and depressed and women more extroverted and manic.

I continue to satisfy my snuggle urge with the rest of you all in spite of 2 out of 3 @home kitty's reaction, latching onto the sides of my head with claws fully extended with vigorous rabbit kicks thrown in because why not? Since I keep doing it I think I need a toxo test, ECT, or something. Is the test for toxoplasmosis a blood test that requires a prescription?

Again, I don't believe there's any evidence Toxoplasmosis makes people irrationally interested in cuddling with cats. I had a blood test done at my doctor's office to investigate a swollen lymph node and they included the toxo test on the panel.

Safety. A cat sleeping in your bed is the best guarantee against snake, rabies/plague carrying rat, etc. making its way unnoticed into the bed. I think that the religion driven prejudice against cats back then was the man reason for the Plagues - i mean all those rats running around in a densely populated city would just not happened if the cats were normally around.

edit: corrected to rabies, thanks :)

I didn't know rats carried rabbis.

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