Pregnancy And Cat Litter -
How To Avoid Toxoplasmosis

Pregnancy and cat litter are a risky combination. That is: if not your cat but YOU are pregnant. The cat’s feces could cause toxoplasmosis. Cleaning the litter box and, even better, buying an automatic litter box may prevent the disease.

Toxoplasmosis is an infection found in birds and mammals, caused by a parasite.

The villain enters the animal when it eats raw meat or drinks milk from another infected bird or mammal.

Wild animals with toxoplasmosis usually don’t make contact with people. Therefore they are no real threat to the health of an expecting mother or unborn child.

This is different with cats. They live with us, day and night. The parasite multiplies in the intestine of cats, and is spread in their feces.

Remember though:

Not every cat has toxoplasmosis.

Only cats that eat raw meat or drink milk from infected animals are at risk.

People may get toxoplasmosis too from raw meat or poultry, or from raw eggs. Pregnant women and people with aids or cancer are at higher risk.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are a sore throat, tiredness, fever, sore muscles and sometimes problems with vision.

Most adults recover from toxoplasmosis without treatment.

Many do not even show any signs of the disease. In fact, a majority of American adults have already been exposed to this disease. Most of those are now immune.

This is different with unborn children. And that is where the risky combination of pregnancy and cat litter shows its ugly face.

If a pregnant woman cleans the litter box of an infected cat, she may get the parasite. If she is already immune there's not much to worry about. But maybe she isn't.

A pregnant woman might not show any symptoms of toxoplasmosis, but it is very well possible that the fetus becomes infected with the parasite too.

This could result in miscarriage, early delivery, poor growth or stillbirth. A child born with this parasite may get eye problems, convulsions or mental disabilities. However, some infected babies do not develop any disease at all.

Pregnancy and cat litter do not go well together.

So what can you do about it?

• Disinfect the litter box with boiling water.
• Have another family member cleaning the litter box.
• If you live alone, wear rubber gloves to avoid contact with cat litter.
• Probably the best solution: get yourself an automatic litter box. These wonderful boxes have a self cleaning system that does the work you normally do. Read a review about automatic litter boxes.

If your cat only lives indoors, it is unlikely it will carry the parasite. But you can never be sure, so be careful.

Other ways of preventing toxoplasmosis are avoiding raw eggs and raw or undercooked meat or poultry. Drink only pasteurized milk.

Pregnancy and cat litter may not be each other’s best friends. But do not let this affect the relationship between you and your cat.

Avoid the risks of pregnancy and cat litter: click here to read more about automatic litter boxes.

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