Female cat owners are more likely to suffer mental health problems and commit suicide because they can be infected with a common parasite that can be caught from cat litter, according to a study.

Women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii – or T. gondii – parasite, which is spread through contact with cat faeces or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts.

About a third of the world’s population is infected with the parasite, which hides in cells in the brain and muscles, often without producing symptoms…