Dispelling a Persistent Rumor

Women who are pregnant are in no danger from their pet cats

By Faith Salsburg, Best Friends Network Volunteer

If you are a cat person, no doubt you have heard the old wives tale that cats are a danger to pregnant women. In many cases, women feel forced to choose between a beloved cat friend, and the new arrival. Guess who looses out?
A dear friend is left at a shelter somewhere, without the faintest idea of why they
were suddenly abandoned. They are alone and frightened as the reward for
their years of love and loyalty.

The Humane Society has stated that cats are not a danger to pregnant women. The highly feared illness is Toxoplasmosis. Any consumer is more likely to come in contact with Toxoplasmosis through the consumption of uncooked meat, rather than socializing or cleaning up after Tiger.

A cat can become infected with this disease if he/she eats rodents, birds, soil, or contaminated meat. If you have an indoor cat that remains indoors the threat disappears.
Some contaminated cats can transmit Toxoplasmosis through their infected feces, but even this is rare. An infected cat dispels cysts in their feces for about two weeks. During this time, the cat develops immunity to Toxoplasmosis and can no longer be a carrier. Both cat and human can be tested for the illness.

More important still is there is 1-5 day incubation period, during which fresh feces are not contagious, so if you clean the litter-box daily, there is no threat.

Nevertheless, the Humane Society recommends pregnant women take some simple precautions, to eliminate the risk.

What you can do:

1. Do not handle or eat uncooked or undercooked meat,
2. Clean absolutely everything that has come in contact with rare meat. (Cutting boards, utensils, etc).
3. Have someone who IS NOT PREGNANT; clean the litter-box daily.
4. If you must scoop, where gloves and follow-up with hand washing. Scoop daily.
5. Feed cats only commercially prepared food, or well cooked meat.

Thus, transmission of toxoplasmosis from cat to pregnant owner is quite rare and additionally diminished significantly by some simple precautions. You no longer need to choose one baby over another. Both are family, and very precious.

Article posted by Brandi Bennett, Best Friends Network Staff

Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society