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Ladies with cats?

vanilla15vanilla15
in Hawaii Babies

So I know of the concerns with pg women and toxoplasmosis (bacteria often found, among other places, in cat feces).  But I am curious, if it is a problem for pg women/fetuses, is it not for young babies?

were you or your cat tested for the bacteria? or did you talk to your dr about it?

from what I have just read, getting it from your (indoor) cat is pretty uncommon & it is much more commnly a foodborne illness

just for more info:  https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/index.html

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Re: Ladies with cats?

  • lelekaylelekay member
    I mentioned it to my OB....she said to make sure MH changed the litter while pg, but otherwise she seemed unconcerned.  Honestly, they have NEVER been outdoors, and the chances of me being immune anyway from being exposed at some point in my life (I've had at least one cat since I was little) is high.   I was never all that concerned.
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  • MrsNicole&Brian808MrsNicole&Brian808

    During my first appt after my BFP, my OB asked if I had outdoor cats as pets.  My 2 cats are strictly indoors so she wasn't concerned, but, like Leah, I was told that MH would be on litter box duty from then on.  She decided to test for toxoplasmosis during my initial bloodwork anyway, just in case.

    So does this mean I will have to resume my litter box duties (or at least share them with MH) after LO is born?  Stick out tongue

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  • redshoegirlredshoegirl member

    OK, take this with a grain of salt because I'm not a doctor, but my understanding is toxoplasmosis is only a danger when you're pregnant because it can be fatal to a developing fetus. Once a baby is born, they're already physically developed and more capable of coping with the bacteria and the symptoms (which are normally no worse than a mild flu and why you don't know if you've had it or not - you'd have just thought you had the flu).

    I could be totally off base though!

    LOL and yeah, Nicole, I've had to go back on litter duty. Booooo! 

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  • mrspresleymrspresley

    yes, it only affects the developing fetus.  for a developed baby/adult to get toxo, they have to be immunocompromised

    in all actuality, a PG woman can still scoop the litterbox as long as it is done every 24 hours... it takes over 24 hours for it to sporulate so there is no risk if the box is regularly cleaned. not very practical though b/c most people don't remember to scoop it daily so that is why they recommend letting DH do it.  this was actually a test question i had to answer in my parasitology class ;)

    i've had both my cats tested previously and there were negative...and since that test they have been 100% indoor so i know they are still negative so we did not have to worry about it.  my ob wanted to test me when i got PG but i declined it since i knew my cats were negative (and we were paying out of pocket for a lot).  i am sure that w/all my exposure to cats that i am probably positive already anyway though!

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  • vanilla15vanilla15
    imageredshoegirl:

    OK, take this with a grain of salt because I'm not a doctor, but my understanding is toxoplasmosis is only a danger when you're pregnant because it can be fatal to a developing fetus. Once a baby is born, they're already physically developed and more capable of coping with the bacteria and the symptoms (which are normally no worse than a mild flu and why you don't know if you've had it or not - you'd have just thought you had the flu).

    I could be totally off base though!


    This is what I was wondering...if the baby, once here, is susceptible to the bacteria or if it is just a risk to the fetus.  In the beginning of my pg when I told my OB, Satchmo was indoor only (and always had been) she wasn't concerned either.  I just didn't know if bacteria on kitty's paws could be bad for a crawling LO.

    imageredshoegirl:

    LOL and yeah, Nicole, I've had to go back on litter duty. Booooo! 

     Ugh...litter duty...maybe I can convince DH it is important that recently pg mamas can't change litter either!!  Stick out tongue

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  • vanilla15vanilla15
    imagemrspresley:

    yes, it only affects the developing fetus.  for a developed baby/adult to get toxo, they have to be immunocompromised

     Nice!  Very good to know.  I have a paranoid coworker who was telling me how serious it is if the baby gets it & he kind of freaked me out a bit!  

    as always, thanks for all of the info!!!

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  • lelekaylelekay member
    imagevanilla15:
    imageredshoegirl:

    OK, take this with a grain of salt because I'm not a doctor, but my understanding is toxoplasmosis is only a danger when you're pregnant because it can be fatal to a developing fetus. Once a baby is born, they're already physically developed and more capable of coping with the bacteria and the symptoms (which are normally no worse than a mild flu and why you don't know if you've had it or not - you'd have just thought you had the flu).

    I could be totally off base though!


    This is what I was wondering...if the baby, once here, is susceptible to the bacteria or if it is just a risk to the fetus.  In the beginning of my pg when I told my OB, Satchmo was indoor only (and always had been) she wasn't concerned either.  I just didn't know if bacteria on kitty's paws could be bad for a crawling LO.

    imageredshoegirl:

    LOL and yeah, Nicole, I've had to go back on litter duty. Booooo! 

     Ugh...litter duty...maybe I can convince DH it is important that recently pg mamas can't change litter either!!  Stick out tongue

    Ha ha!  I've TOTALLY convinced MH that I still can't change the litter during the postpartum 6 weeks.  He's a doc, but he still believed me!!! :)

    (to be fair, I wasn't sure myself, I figured better safe than sorry!) 

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  • vanilla15vanilla15

    imagelelekay:

    Ha ha!  I've TOTALLY convinced MH that I still can't change the litter during the postpartum 6 weeks.  He's a doc, but he still believed me!!! :)

    (to be fair, I wasn't sure myself, I figured better safe than sorry!) 

    Ha!  I have totally got to come up with something!!!  or train the cat to use the toilet!!

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  • mrspresleymrspresley
    imagevanilla15:

    Ha!  I have totally got to come up with something!!!  or train the cat to use the toilet!!

    i have seen some cats do it! you can get a special toilet insert and put litter in it..the slowly decrease the amount of litter until there is no litter there at all, just the toilet seat LOL

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