Is it safe for a pregnant women to have an indoor cat?
Absolutely! “You are at more risk of becoming infected with toxoplasmosis by handling raw meat then you’d ever be from your cat. There are some precautions though. This disease is caused by the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii. The cat becomes infected by eating prey that’s contaminated by the parasite. Microscopic eggs (called oocysts) are shed in the infected cat’s feces. This is why you’ve probably heard that pregnant women shouldn’t clean the litter box. Toxoplasmosis can cause severe damage to the fetus. There is no cause for panic though, because once the eggs are shed in the feces it takes a couple days for them to reach the infectious stage. So prompt scooping out of the fecal waste will greatly reduce the chance of infection. To be on the safe side, pregnant women should at least wear gloves if the must clean the box. Indoor cats are at low risk for toxoplasmosis. Outdoor cats are much more likely to acquire the disease due to the hunting and ingesting of potentially infec
