Bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease) is a zoonotic bacterial infection in cats that rarely causes clinical illness in the cats themselves but requires management to reduce human exposure risk.
Bartonellosis primarily creates a welfare consideration for humans rather than cats themselves, as most infected cats are asymptomatic. However, there are welfare implications in how humans respond to the zoonotic risk - some owners rehome or euthanize cats following Bartonella diagnosis, which is a disproportionate response for an infection that rarely causes clinical disease in the cats. The welfare-protective approach involves appropriate hygiene measures, flea control, and precautions for immunocompromised household members, rather than removing healthy cats from their homes. Educating owners about the actual risk level prevents unnecessary welfare harms to cats whose owners overreact to a manageable zoonotic concern.