Are you worried about catching Toxoplamosis?

GreenEyedGal · April 2009

Although I am taking precautions (they aren't allowed in the bedroom anymore, DH has taken over cleaning the cat litter, I wash my hands after petting them) I am still paranoid about catching Toxoplamosis. They are both indoor, which is good, but I'm thinking about asking my doctor at my next appt if I should get tested. I don't know, I just get nervous about anything that could be potentially harmful to the baby.

lnle · April 2009

I was nervous about it when I was pg. I haven't asked my RE, but I asked my vet about testing the cats for toxoplasmosis and he said if they're totally indoor adult cats he doesn't even bother testing them anymore b/c it's unlikely they have it. Everything I've read has said that indoor cats are pretty safe, b/c the toxo is transmitted when cats eat infected birds and mice. Plus if the box is scooped every day you're ok b/c it takes more than 24 hrs for the bugs to grow.

even though I've heard all that I'm still a bit nervous, but my husband refuses to clean the litter box. I just uses gloves when I did it.

dusk42 · April 2009

You can get tested to see if you have previously been exposed, but really, as long as you are not licking your hands after handling their poop, you are much more likely to get it from undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. ?

https://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html?

Good luck!?

desabean · April 2009

Honestly, I am not worried about it (but don't tell my DH that, I've had a great run not having to clean litterboxes since we started ttc ; )

We've had our cats since they were 8 weeks old and they've never been outside. I think if they had it, I've already been exposed and gotten over it-- but I think it is extremely unlikely that they have it. I could never keep them out of my room, I would miss cuddling with them and of course, they would drive us CRAZY!

muppet.fan · April 2009

I guess I'm just not that worried about it. Our cats have been indoor-only since the days we adopted each of them (6+ years). DH handled the litter box in first and second tri, but I've been changing it again now. I wear gloves, don't breathe it in and am careful to wash my hands when I'm done (and it's not like I ever touched the waste anyway!). But I don't wash my hands each time I pet them and they both definitely still sleep with us...and on us!

Radler · April 2009

No -- both my vet and my last OB/GYN told me it was very unlikely my cats would get it because they never go outside. I still clean the litter box because DH is going on deployment with the military soon anyway so it seems pointless to make him do it now -- but I make sure to wash my hands ALL the time, and always after dealing with the litter box. I also clean the box with a bleach solution periodically, which my RE suggested.

PhillySue · April 2009

I was not worried and I had my RE test me and I am not immue (have not been exposed). I have two adult indoor only cats. I no longer change the litter but I still let them sleep on my bed. I think as long as you cats are not outside and eating other animals it is pretty rare.

lnle · April 2009

dusk42:
You can get tested to see if you have previously been exposed, but really, as long as you are not licking your hands after handling their poop, you are much more likely to get it from undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables.
https://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html
Good luck!

LOL! I will make sure not to lick my hands after scooping the litter box. Thanks for the link - good info.

tina623 · April 2009

I was because I wasn't immune to it. I took the same precautions but I still worried.

Mrs.Reem · April 2009

Not in the least. Our cat is an indoor cat so it would be really rare for her to have it.

na24 · April 2009

We had our (indoor-only) cats tested for this when we first started TTC and found that one of them had never had it and one of them had had it at some point in the past. ?But neither one actively had it. ?And you can only catch it if your cats actively have it, so if you have indoor cats, the chances are really low. ?You're more likely to get toxoplasmosis from gardening or something like that, actually. ?(B/c of stray cats using your garden as a litterbox.) ?I'd be more scared of gardening than I would be of my cats.

And for what it's worth, I'm pretty high on the paranoid/take no risks scale of pregnancy, and I still cuddle my cats all the time. ?My husband has been taking care of their litterboxes since we started TTC, but I've scooped them on occasion when he was out of town (without gloves, even) and just made sure to wash my hands really well afterwards and I'm fine. ??

GreenEyedGal · April 2009

Thanks for the reassurance, girls. I guess I just need to stop being such a worry-wart all the time. I guess the risk is not as high as I thought it would be. Still, I'm going to bring the subject up to my doctor but at least I'm not as worried anymore.

Katietwin · April 2009

The majority of cats that get it are outdoor, b/c it comes from exposure to dead animals - (like mice for instance). ?Unless you're basically ingesting the?feces of a cat that has it, or your house is overrun with cat poop - you are not likely to get it. ?

?

My cat still sleeps by my head every night. ?But, at DH's insistence - I have not changed the catbox since getting pg- he has taken that over ?(...go 'head...twist my arm)! ?;)

?:) ?K?

dusk42 · May 2009

lnle:
dusk42:
You can get tested to see if you have previously been exposed, but really, as long as you are not licking your hands after handling their poop, you are much more likely to get it from undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. ?
https://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html?
Good luck!?
LOL! I will make sure not to lick my hands after scooping the litter box. Thanks for the link - good info.?

It's a lovely image, isn't it? ?:) ?It's nice to have one thing that you don't really have to be scared of - there are so many other things to worry about.?

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