Cats and pregnancy?

[Guest guest]

Is anyone familiar with the issue of having cats

around when pregant? My wife is 6 weeks pregnant, and

we have an adult momma cat and 4 two-month old kittens

living at our house.

 

We've heard different things of what my wife should

avoid, including cat littler, cat food, cat feces, or

the cats themselves. Where can I find some hard facts?

Thanks,

 

Ron

[Guest guest]

Hi Ron,

I dealt with this when i was pregnant 3 years ago.

For facts i would just call your or a obgyn and ask.

I remember it is the litter box and feces. Do not let her change the litter box.

also watch the cats feet and hindquarters as they may have traces of feces on

them.

 

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/secArticles/cat/Human_Pregnancy_and_Cats.asp

Pregnant women and cats... You may have heard the rumors, but what threat does a

cat pose, if any, to a pregnant woman? What are the real dangers of having a cat

in the house while you or someone in your family is pregnant? Read on and find

out!

 

A pregnant woman will need to take extra precaution against contracting

Toxoplasmosis during her pregnancy. However this doesn't mean that a cat can not

live in the same house with a pregnant woman. There are many very simple and

easy tips that you can do to make sure that Toxoplasmosis is not spread (if your

cat even has it which he or she may not) to the expectant mother. Keep in mind

that a pregnant woman can also contract Toxoplasmosis from unpasteurized milk

products, and uncooked or undercooked meats such as lamb or pork. So cats do not

pose the only risk to women as far as Toxoplasmosis is concerned, and in fact a

woman is more likely to contract Toxoplasmosis from a source other than a

feline.

 

So what is Toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasitic protozoan

called Toxoplasma gondii. Feline infection by Toxoplasma gondii is fairly

common, however we rarely see disease caused by this parasite (generally disease

is see in kittens, the old, and immuno-compromised animals). The parasite is

seen in three different forms: cyst, oocyst or tachyzoite. Most felines contract

toxoplasmosis from meat that is raw and/or contaminated with any of the three

stages of parasite. When a cat ingests such meat (raw meat, a rodent, other

prey) that is infected with the parasite, the parasite moves to the wall of the

small intestine where it will grow and mature. At this point the cat will

excrete oocysts (in high numbers) in his/her feces. These oocysts are what is

infective to other animals and humans (pregnant or not).

 

The best way to avoid Toxoplasmosis is to simply avoid any possible contact with

feline feces. Thus a pregnant woman's best defense is to make sure not to change

the litter or clean the litterbox, and to not bring any new cats into the home

during the pregnancy. These simple steps in conjunction with taking care to not

eat uncooked or undercooked meats, or unpasteurized milk products should be

enough to keep mom-to-be safe from any potential infections.

 

Women can also have a Toxoplasmosis test done before or once they know they are

pregnant. If the expectant mother has had cats or has been in contact with cats

in the past she may have already been exposed to Toxoplasma gondii. If so she

probably already has antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. This is the best case

scenario. If a woman already has antibodies against Toxoplasmosis and if she is

exposed again (even while pregnant), the antibodies will fight off the parasite

and thus she will have little to no chance of becoming ill or passing

Toxoplasmosis to her unborn child. Having a Toxoplasmosis test will tell her if

she already has antibodies or not.

 

You can also have your cat tested. The same rules apply for cats. If the cat

tests positive for antibodies then he has already been exposed and thus has a

very low chance of contracting the parasite again. However if your cat tests

negative and if he then comes in contact Toxoplasma gondii in the future he

could become infected and could also then shed oocysts in his feces.

 

The bottom line is that if your or someone in your house becomes pregnant you

don't need to immediately give up your cat. You may want to have both the

pregnant woman and the cat tested for Toxoplasmosis. And as a safety precaution

simply make sure that mom-to-be stays away from the litterbox at all times

whether it be to change the litter or clean the litterbox. That won't be too

hard will it ladies?

 

Medical and care advice on this article is for your knowledge and information

only. It is not a substitute for a veterinary appointment or an actual diagnosis

for your pet. If you feel your pet has a health or behavior problem please

consult your veterinarian immediately for specific advice tailored to your

individual pet.

 

Article supplied by:

 

All information in this article is Copyright ® 21cats.org;

www.21cats.org

 

some other links to checkout..

 

http://www.vetinfo.com/ctoxo.html

 

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/humanpregnancy.htm

 

hope this helps. congratulations!!!

my best,

 

perryanne

 

-

Ronald Garcia-Fogarty

rawfood

Wednesday, December 08, 2004 11:49 PM

[Raw Food] Cats and pregnancy?

 

 

 

 

Is anyone familiar with the issue of having cats

around when pregant? My wife is 6 weeks pregnant, and

we have an adult momma cat and 4 two-month old kittens

living at our house.

 

We've heard different things of what my wife should

avoid, including cat littler, cat food, cat feces, or

the cats themselves. Where can I find some hard facts?

Thanks,

 

Ron