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2nd Trimester
CAT EXPERTS: Toxoplasmosis worry?
I need to know what you mama's are doing about your kitties.
I am needing to bring home my dear cat from my parents house. She battles with off and on cystitis, that is controlled by a good diet/clean litterbox, but my parents apparently let her flare up too bad, so she had accidents near her litter box, and subsequently got kicked out of the house by them. 
So, I am really wanting her to come live at home with me and hubby for the first time. She is 5. It would be better for her to be with me, since I am always careful to help her maintain good urinary tract health, and she LOVES me (hates everyone else lol) - She is currently living outside, and is just scared. She's an indoor cat and has been for 5 years.
BUT I am worried about toxoplasmosis. What can I do? What have your Doc's said about it?
Thank you
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Re: CAT EXPERTS: Toxoplasmosis worry?
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Most importantly, don't eat the litter or lick your cat's butt.
Otherwise, just wear rubber gloves & wash your hands after you change the litter & you'll be fine.
ETA: Link with helpful info:
https://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplasmosis.html
Also, outdoor cats have a higher chance of carrying the disease. They contract if from eating infected rodents & other small animals. Keep her inside & it will greatly reduce your risk as well.
Don't kick her outside if she's not used to it. I can just imagine how scared she is.
Just have hubby change the litterbox and you will be fine. I am relishing this time of not having to do the dirty work, as DH HATES cleaning it with a passion lol.
If you want to do it all yourself, there is a bloodtest that you can take to see if you've been exposed to it. If you have, then you have the antibodies and are fine.
BTW, cats get this outside, so by keeping her there is increasing the chance of her getting and actively having an infection.
So don't touch the litter and you will be fine. If you do, wash your hands very thoroughly. It's kinda the same way humans can get sick after changing a child's diaper and not washing properly. The feeces makes it's way into your mouth, thus making you sick.
It's not that big of a deal if you don't touch the litter. FWIW, my cat kicks the litter all over the dang place in our laundry room (I even have a larger lid) and I just wear shoes in there if it's not cleaned up.
Since you have to take really good care of the box anyway to keep her healthy, then you shouldn't have a problem. No worries.
It's a rare chance. You can also get toxoplasmosis from gardening or handling raw meat. You can have your cat tested, and you can get tested if you are really worried. I don't see it as a big problem.
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Yes, well my parents put her out and I have not been able to travel to get her, but its been weighing on me heavily since I adamently DO NOT want her outside. She's been indoor-only. So, I desperately want her back inside, safe. The toxo thing bothered me, when I mentioned bringing Bella home, several people said "With being pregnant!?" So it just scared me. She's always been heavily spoiled by me, esp. since shes so demanding health wise, so I dont wanna ditch her.
hahaha, my sister said something similar to me when I found out I was pregnant, she said "just don't lick your hands after changing the litter box." I only changed it once since getting pregnant and I did wear a dust mask and gloves. Now I just stay far away while my man changes it!
Well, is it so easy to catch ? She likes beds, and couches, so she'd be on those, and so would we...so even if we washed hands after snuggling, she still lays on stuff.
My doctor said just to be sure my husband has cat litter duty. The only concern at all here, to me, is that the cat has been outside since cats pick up the organism from eating infected animals. But they only shed the organism for a short time after they are infected. ?
https://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/toxo.html?
?I would bring the kitty home and have your husband do cat box duty. Outside is no place for a nonferal cat. If you are really concerned, you could keep kitty quarantined in an extra bathroom for a time. Your vet might be able to offer guidance. Vets and vet techs get pregnant so they are going to be familiar with precautions. ? ?
I don't think it's that easy to catch. My understanding is that as long as you don't have direct contact to the litter you should be fine. Just get your DH to change the litter and if you're extra anal, wash your hands after you touch her bum and/or feet and you'll be fine.
Also, if you've been exposed to cats for a large part of your life, you have likely been exposed to are likely already immune to toxomasplosis. There's a blood test you can do to be sure.
Evelyn (3.24.10), Graham (5.30.13) & Miles (8.28.16)
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This! You can also talk to the doctor about Toxoplasmosis. I know when I went to my first appointment they asked me about cats and tested me for it. They told me DH had to change the litter. GL
Just wash your hands before you eat or touch your face. It's something everyone should be doing to prevent illness whether they have cats or not. Like PPs said, unless you're digging around bare handed in the litter box, there is nothing to worry about.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
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