Cat colds are generally not contagious to humans. A cat cold is an acute febrile illness dominated by mucositis of the upper respiratory tract and is not a zoonosis, which is an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans. Cats can transmit a wide range of infectious agents. For example, free-ranging or stray cats (i.e., cats born in the wild) can transmit a variety of infections, including rabies, toxoplasmosis, cutaneous larval migrans, Yersinia pestis, rabbit fever, and murine typhus. Many of the risks associated with pet ownership can be minimized by good hygiene practices after exposure to pets, careful pet selection, and proper pet health care. New pets may pose additional health risks because their health history and vaccination records may not be known. Adult pets are usually safer than young animals because adult animals are less likely to engage in playfulness that includes scratching and biting. Children are at higher risk of infection because they are more likely to be in close contact with pets.