The Food Bowl - For Pets and Their People

Cats, Pregnancy and Toxoplasmosis

by Heather on September 23rd, 2007

I mentioned in Friday’s news post how much it annoys me when people get rid of their cats during a pregnancy and blame it on toxoplasmosis. It’s definitely a valid concern and not one to be taken lightly, but you do not have to get rid of your pet!

Let’s start with what toxoplasmosis is. According to the CDC:

A single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis. While the parasite is found throughout the world, more than 60 million people in the United States may be infected with the Toxoplasma parasite. Of those who are infected, very few have symptoms because a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. However, pregnant women and individuals who have compromised immune systems should be cautious; for them, a Toxoplasma infection could cause serious health problems.

If you had a cat growing up or were ever around one (at a friend’s or relative’s house, for example) chances are you’ve already been exposed to the parasite and have lived to tell about it — in fact, most people who have been exposed have no idea. It may seem unfair but as the CDC says it’s pretty harmless in people with healthy immune systems. The CDC has a list of symptoms for those who do suffer from it.

There are several ways you can be exposed to it in day-to-day life, the most “popular” being not washing your hands after changing a cat’s litter box, or gardening in soil that a neighborhood cat has used and not washed your hands, thus transfering an infected cat’s feces to your mouth. But it’s not just cats that are to blame: Eating contaminated raw or undercooked meat or not properly washing your hands after handling such meat, and not properly washing utensils used on the meat and reusing them with something else (cross-contamination) can also get you infected.

How can you avoid it without getting rid of your cat? With a few simple precautions: have someone else change the litter box for the duration of your pregnancy, or if that’s not possible, use gloves, plastic baggies, or plastic grocery sacks, etc, over your hands as you change the box. When gardening make sure you wear gloves. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water afterward.

Also, indoor-only cats have a very low chance of having the parasite and are more than likely parasite-free. Infected cats get the parasite from eating wild prey (birds, rodents, etc) or from eating undercooked table scraps themselves, and can only spread it for a few weeks after infection (so don’t get a new cat during pregnancy, especially if you don’t know if it’s ever been an outdoor cat). The CDC says that infants most likely to be infected are those whose mother’s are exposed for the first time right before or during the pregnancy.

All of this is not to say you shouldn’t be careful. I went through my pregnancies with three cats, all of whom were acquired several years before my oldest was born, and I was also raised with many cats during my early childhood. My husband still gladly stepped in for litter box duty during those times because it wasn’t worth the risk. On those times they needed attention before he was able to get to it, I just wrapped a grocery sack around my hand and went to work. Yes it looked goofy but it got the job done!

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POSTED IN: Cats, Pet safety, Pets