A feline zoonosis is a viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, nematode or arthropod infection that can be transmitted to humans from the domesticated cat, Felis catus. Some of these diseases are reemerging and newly emerging infections or infestations caused by zoonotic pathogens transmitted by cats. In some instances, the cat can display symptoms of infection (these may differ from the symptoms in humans) and sometimes the cat remains asymptomatic. There can be serious illnesses and clinical manifestations in people who become infected. This is dependent on the immune status and age of the person. Those who live in close association with cats are more prone to these infections, but those that do not keep cats as pets can also acquire these infections as the transmission can be from cat feces and the parasites that leave their bodies.

People can acquire cat-associated infections through bites, scratches or other direct contact of the skin or mucous membranes with the cat. This includes 'kissing' or letting the animal lick the mouth or nose. Mucous membranes are easily infected when the pathogen is in the mouth of the cat. Pathogens can also infect people when there is contact with animal saliva, urine and other body fluids or secretions. When fecal material is unintentionally ingested, infection can occur. A feline zoonosis can be acquired by a person by inhalation of aerosols or droplets coughed up by the cat.

In the United States, thirty-two percent of homes have at least one cat. Some contagious infections such as campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis cause visible symptoms of the disease in cats. Other infections, such as cat scratch disease and toxoplasmosis, have no visible symptoms and are carried by apparently healthy cats.

Some disease-carrying arthropods use cats as a vector, or carrier. Fleas and ticks can carry pathogenic organisms that infect a person with Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and Rocky mountain spotted fever.

Statistics generated by the state of Ohio document that cat bites make up about 20 percent of all animal bites each year. Bites from cats can not only transmit serious diseases such as rabies, but bites can develop bacterial infections. The bite of a cat appears small but it can be deep. As many as 80 percent of cat bites become infected.

In 2010, over 400 cases of cowpox infection from cats to human have been described. The symptoms differ between both humans and cats. In people, local exanthema appears on the arms and face. The infection resolves on its own but those who are immunosuppressed can progress to systemic infection that closely resembles smallpox. When the infection has expanded to severe symptoms, it can be lethal. The signs of cowpox infection in cats can be seen as, multiple skin sores on the paws, neck, head and mouth. The cat can also develop a purulent discharge from the eyes. Necrotizing pneumonia has also been observed. Estimates that 50% of human cases of cowpox are due to transmission from cats in the United Kingdom.

The avian flu virus H7N2 has been found in cats in New York City. Though transmission to people is possible, it is thought to be rare. In Europe, cats were identified as being hosts for West Nile virus.

The bacterium Pasteurella multocida and its genus can pose a risk of severe diseases in high-risk groups such as the elderly, transplant recipients, cancer patients and immunocompromised individuals. Transmission of the infection to the human from the cat has been attributed to kissing the cat, providing care that exposes the person to the body fluids of the cat and sleeping with the cat.