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Cats & Toxoplasmosis

LERAugustLERAugust
in 2nd Trimester

Yes, I will talk with my doctor about this, but I wanted to pose it you ladies as well. 

 I have 2 indoor cats -- my hubby cleans the litterbox, but they sleep curled up with me.  One of them usually ends up on my pillow.  What do you think my chances are for getting infected and all of the horrid effects on my LO.  (I also had 2 outdoor cats when I was growing up starting at age 2...so maybe I'm already immune and am causing undue anxiety for myself).  

If you can ease my anxiety in way, I'd appreciate it.  TIA

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Re: Cats & Toxoplasmosis

  • texmegtexmeg member

    From what I've read, I think your chances are very small.  The cats that carry toxoplasmosis I believe are usually outdoor kitties - they had to have killed an animal (like a bird or rat) that has the disease.  It then lives in their intestinal system forever (or a while).  If your cats have always been indoors, I would think the chances of that are very small. 

    I have an indoor cat as well; he goes outside in our backyard every once in a while.  I think the biggest thing he's ever killed was a cockroach.  My husband still cleans the litter just to be safe, but I really don't think toxoplasmosis is a big worry for indoor cats.  Did that help?  :)

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  • H4'sFanH4'sFan

    If they are strictly indoor cats, I would not be worried. I have read that cats mostly pick this up from outside soil. Just have your husband keep changing the litter box to be safe, and, yes, talk to your doctor.

     

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  • LittleMamaBLittleMamaB
    Don't lick your cats' asses and you should be fine : )
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  • Mereou12Mereou12 member

    The chances are ridiculously miniscule.

    Toxoplasmosis is very rare, and you're actually more likely to contract it from eating undercooked meat, eating unwashed fruits/veggies, or gardening than you are from cats...particularly if they're indoor and you're not touching the litter box.

    We also have two cats, and I still have to change their litter box when DH is out of town (which is very, very frequently). Doc is fine with it, because they're indoor, I wear gloves, and I wash my  hands thoroughly after doing so.

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  • LERAugustLERAugust

    ::::::sigh of relief::::::

     It's amazing what being too informed can do to my anxiety level.  Thank you all for calming my fears --- I've read/heard everything you said before, but it's so different when it's coming from people in my same situation.  :-)  Happy Saturday!

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  • bekwohlbekwohl
    very interesting!
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  • coastiewifey88coastiewifey88

    imageLittleMamaB:
    Don't lick your cats' asses and you should be fine : )

    ?

    THIS, just made me LOL. I love it.?

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  • kimberleigh30kimberleigh30 member

    imageLittleMamaB:
    Don't lick your cats' asses and you should be fine : )

    THIS! 

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  • sbollenbachsbollenbach

    I am totally sure you'll be fine with 2 indoor cats.  My husband and I raise Siberian cats and we have 4 adults and 6 kittens in the house right now.  He has to clean the litterboxes and kitty butts, when necessary, and I try to make sure they don't drink from my drinking glass.  My Dr. wasn't worried.  Like you, they're indoor, up on their vaccinations, and I don't touch their feces. 

    Enjoy your furry friends. :)

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  • phinx99phinx99
    If you are worried about it they can do a titer (blood work) on you to see if you have been exposed to it before. They did one on me when I was pregnant with my first baby because I was a vet tech at the time.
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  • CTJourneyCTJourney
    As everyone else has already mentioned it is really rare.  But if you are worried you could ask your doctor to test for Toxoplasmosis immunity.  I've had cats my entire life and my doctor tested for immunity to toxoplasmosis when I was about 12 weeks pregnant. 
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  • Brooke208Brooke208
    I'm sure you're fine.  I have two cats as well and cuddle them all the time.  I had them while pregnant with DS too and my doctor said that since they are indoor cats and I've been around cats most of my life there probably isn't an issue.  As long as you aren't touching their feces (litter) you can continue to cuddle with those kitties.  You're probably immune to it anyway, I would think.  Our cats sleep on our bed too... I remember being worried about that same thing with DS but for no reason!
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  • sadielovesadielove member
    I have to clean the litter box for my indoor cat when my husband is out of town and my doctor just told me to wear gloves and wash my hands really well.
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  • sgrlsgrl member
    I researched this quite a bit when I first got pregnant. I can't remember the exact time line, but apparently cats contract toxoplasmosis from the soil. Then, within a few weeks or months of contracting it (that part I can't remember, but it's a relatively short time), they shed the toxo in their poo for a few days or weeks. The take-away message is that even if your cats had gotten toxoplasmosis at some point in their lives, if they've been indoor cats for a long time they aren't a risk. Also, I read that if you clean the litterbox regularly, you can't contract it because the spores take time to grow. The most dangerous cats for you to be around are young outside cats, because kittens are most likely to have contracted toxoplasmosis and be in the contagious stage. Your indoor kitties should be fine! Still have your hubby do the litterbox though - I do! 
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  • misscinnmisscinn

    actually toxo isn't rare, it's very common only most people don't realize they have it because their immune systems are strong.

    i wouldn't worry about your indoor kitties, but you could always have them tested to ease your mind. i'd be more cautious about gardening, eating thoroughly cooked meat only and cleaning your fruits & veggies well.

    i tested positive for toxo in 2003 and am allergic to cats, so i think i got it through infected meat, but who knows. my dr. is happy that i have the antibodies though, one less thing to stress about.

    you'll be A-OK, just don't worry about it :)?

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  • flyer23flyer23 member

    FWIW, I grew up around cats as well, most of our cats were indoor/outdoor, and I always had litter-box duty... but I still tested NEGATIVE for toxoplasmosis exposure when I was pregnant with DD. (My midwife didn't bother testing me this time around.)

    Our current kitty is strictly indoor-only, and is WAY too old (18 years) and fat to chase down any possibly-infected rodents even if they did make it into the house. I've had her for almost 8 years. I figure if she hasn't infected me in the last 8 years, it's HIGHLY unlikely that she's going to infect me in the next 6 months.

    She sleeps with me as well, right on my side of the bed. And, sorry, this is gross, but she's so old that sometimes she has dingleberries after using the litterbox, so coming in contact with her feces (even though DH cleans the litterbox) is a distinct possibility. But like I said... I've had her for 8 years, and she's been like this most of that time. I'm not worried at all.

    Mommy to DD1 (June 2007), DS (January 2010), DD2 (July 2012), and The Next One (EDD 3/31/2015)

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