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Playing with cats and dogs is the activity most likely associated with exposure to cat-scratch disease. This illness is caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae, which is commonly found in cats. The disease can be transmitted to humans primarily through scratches or bites from an infected cat, or through contact with cat saliva, especially when a person has an open wound or breaks in the skin. The likelihood of exposure increases in situations where individuals interact closely with felines, such as petting, playing, or handling them.

In contrast, handling sheep, feeding birds, and swimming with dolphins are less associated with cat-scratch disease, as they do not involve direct interaction with cats, the primary source of the infection. Each of these activities presents various potential health risks, but they do not specifically relate to the transmission of the bacterium that causes cat-scratch disease.