Many pregnant female cat owners wonder if it’s safe to own a cat while they’re expecting. in general, the short answer is “yes”. It’s absolutely fine to be around cats while you’re pregnant. However you must be very careful about cleaning the litter box or let someone else do it for you.
The main reason most people are afraid of cats during pregnancy is toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that can infect mostly humans. Felines are among the most prevalent carriers of the specific parasite. Most people never know they have it, as the symptoms that may appear are few. But if a woman is infected during pregnancy it could cause serious birth complications.
How to protect yourself from Toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis is transmitted orally. That’s why putting a contaminated hand to your mouth may result in infection.
- You have to be really careful with the cleaning of the litter box. Ideally, get someone else to do it for you. If this isn’t possible make sure to clean your cat’s litter box daily, as the parasite becomes infectious after 1-5 days.
- Always wear gloves and wash your hands while cleaning it. You should also wear gloves while gardening, cleaning vegetables and handling raw meat.
- Don’t adopt any stray cats during pregnancy, as there’re more possibilities that they’re exposed to toxoplasmosis. This is because they eat small animals and they could have weak immune systems.
Toxoplasmosis is serious for an unborn baby. But it’s also really hard to be infected. There’s nothing to worry about if you follow the rules above and always remember to wash your hands often.
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