If you’re a pregnant cat owner, you don’t necessarily have to get rid of Mr. Fluffy! Simple precautions will allow you to keep your feline friend when pregnant.
In fact, CDC says that you’re more likely to get toxoplasmosis from gardening or eating undercooked meat than from pet cats.
The infection known as toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Even though most women infected during pregnancy will have no symptoms, the infection can cause big problems like miscarriage or premature birth. Infected infants are likely to develop severe symptoms later in life, including loss of vision and hearing, mental retardation and death.
The parasite is carried by some cats and is passed in their feces. Indoor-only cats who are fed cooked or commercial food are much less likely to carry the parasite. Yet, it’s important to note that cats infected with Toxoplasma gondii very rarely show any symptoms. Toxoplasmosis is usually only harmful to pregnant women and people who are immunodeficient.
According to Cornell University College of Vet Medicine, infected cats only shed Toxoplasma gondii a few days in their entire life, so the chance of human exposure is small. If you’re curious about how the organism works in cats, visit Cornell’s page on Toxoplasmosis in Cats.
Though the risk of exposure is small, it’s not zero. Pregnant women should take precautions against exposure to the organism that causes toxoplasmosis.
If you’re pregnant:
- Avoid contact with stray cats.
- Have someone else clean the cat’s litter box or wear gloves and wash hands carefully after you finish.
- Don’t feed your pet cat raw or undercooked food.
- Keep your cat indoors.
- Resist adopting a cat that has lived outside or has been fed raw food.
- Wear gloves when gardening.
- When preparing meat, clean all food prep surfaces and cook meat to the recommended internal temp.
- Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk.
- Cover sandboxes in your yard.
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Post from: Blisstree