Is it safe to have my cat around the house while I'm pregnant?

In my opinion, with the proper precautions it can be perfectly safe. The most common time for the baby to be at risk for transmission is during the women's final trimester, so right now would be your home stretch. However, all information that I have ever learned indicates toxoplasmosis is passed only through the feces (maybe the urine too, I'd have to check on that!) and has nothing to do with the hair, saliva, or blood. Keeping that in mind, the only way you are likely to get in contact with the microorganism is by coming in contact with the cat's poop. Best ways to avoid this are the following: -If you must handle cat litter. always wear protective gear around your face and hands. -Always wash your face and hands after handling soiled litter. -Always wash your face and hands after any extensive handling of your kitty. -Avoid sleeping in the same bed as your kitty. -Don't let your cat rub his butt on you! Hope this helps. Don't get rid of your cat. While the risk is there, I think it is blown completely out of proportion. Then again, I am a male veterinarian. Perhaps a female might answer your differently. I am just giving you the facts. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Wash your hands before and after handling Minu. Have someone else manage the litterbox. If you have to do it, wear gloves and wash hands afterwards. Make sure she is current on all vaccines and is on monthly preventatives against intestinal and external parasites.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Your Doctor can test you. If you are negative then you should avoid gardening or doing things with the soil as toxoplasma lives there as well. Then I would have your husband clean Cecile's litter box or you do it wearing gloves and wash your hands. I would also keep your cats indoors. As a Vet, I have been exposed, who knows when or how, and I had a normal pregnancy. Below is a link to the CDC's page on toxoplasma. It should answer all of your questions! I hope this helps and I wish you the best! https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/index.html

Nothing can happen through the skin please don' t worry. However, you always need to wash your hands and wear gloves when you handle his litter tray or your clothes which have diarrhoea on it. Make sure the house is clean etc normal hygiene rules. I would recommend to have him checked over so his diarrhoea can be treated, and he can be neutered, wormed so that everything is in order for when the baby arrives.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Do not allow yourself or your daughter to handle Minnie's stool. That is the only way you both could contract worms. You would have to get the cats stool in your mouth. The kitten and a stool sample need to go to the Vet this week. They can deworm her, start her kitten vaccines and provide you with a schedule on when to come back. Also since you are pregnant you shouldn't be handling cat stool due to toxoplasmosis risks. Good luck

No, this isn't true at all. I have three cats and have had two kids. Now cat poop can carry toxoplasmosis, which causes miscarriage in humans, but that is why pregnant women should not scoop or change the litter box.

Toxoplasmosis can be diagnosed by blood work or a fecal examination. However toxoplasma takes 24 hours after a bowel movement to become infectious. So if your sister cleans the box daily, and showers daily, and wears clean clothes daily then the likelihood of contamination approaches zero. I am a veterinarian, and touch cats daily, and had my antibodies tested before pregnancy and I have never been exposed. I hope this helps explain this for you. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.