There are actually a lot of things that your pregnant wife can’t or won’t do. There may be some validity to this one though. There is an organism called Toxoplasma gondii that is transmitted by cats. If the woman gets infected by this, for the first time, during her pregnancy there is a chance that her baby can have problems later in life. These problems can be mild or severe and are usually associated with Neurological problems and vision. The likelihood of passing this to the unborn child is more common in the 3rd trimester, but can occur during all three. If the woman was infected earlier in her life, there will be minimal threat to her child. Most all infections go undiagnosed, since the signs of aches, malaise, fever and enlarged lymph nodes are very vague.
Why do cats get the bad rap? This is most often spread by outdoor cats since the life cycle involves the cat eating raw meat… whether they caught it or found it in the garbage. The oocysts shed in the feces don’t become active for at least a day, but probably longer.
Take Home Message for you pregnant ladies out there:
Don’t dig in the garden while pregnant or at least use gloves and wash your hands.
Don’t eat fruits or vegetables without washing or peeling.
Don’t eat undercooked meat.
Don’t feed your cat undercooked meat.
Clean your litter box daily (OK… get someone else to clean the litter box daily)
Wash your hands often, especially after exposure to a cat or its litter.
Indoor cats are very unlikely to be shedding the organism.
Taking you cat to the Vet to be tested sounds like a good idea, but the oocysts are shed intermittently and the blood tests are not exact in telling us if the infection is active or a previous problem.
Don’t get rid of your Cats!!
Why do cats get the bad rap? This is most often spread by outdoor cats since the life cycle involves the cat eating raw meat… whether they caught it or found it in the garbage. The oocysts shed in the feces don’t become active for at least a day, but probably longer.
Take Home Message for you pregnant ladies out there:
Don’t dig in the garden while pregnant or at least use gloves and wash your hands.
Don’t eat fruits or vegetables without washing or peeling.
Don’t eat undercooked meat.
Don’t feed your cat undercooked meat.
Clean your litter box daily (OK… get someone else to clean the litter box daily)
Wash your hands often, especially after exposure to a cat or its litter.
Indoor cats are very unlikely to be shedding the organism.
Taking you cat to the Vet to be tested sounds like a good idea, but the oocysts are shed intermittently and the blood tests are not exact in telling us if the infection is active or a previous problem.
Don’t get rid of your Cats!!
The Lifecycle of Toxoplasmosis must go through the cat to be complete.
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