my aunt got pregnant but then had a miscarriage and her docter asked if she had lived with or slept with cats and she said yes and the doctor said that is the cause of the problem, and my family have a cat and now my parents get mad when we pet him too much....... is this true or is it false?( about cats affecting you in the future)
2006-10-18 09:55:11 · 8 answers · asked by Mercy 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Sort of true. A pregnant woman should NEVER handle kitty litter as she can catch a bug which can cause miscarriage. Getting very close to a cat (like sleeping with it) could cause the same problem. Just normal petting of a cat will not cause any problems. It helps to keep your cat properly wormed and vaccinated and to keep the litter tray clean. Pregnant women should also not go near sheep, as this can also cause bad problems.
It could be that the miscarriage would have happened anyhow, they are more common than you would think. It is not possible for petting a cat now to cause fertility problems in the future, the problem only happens if you are already pregnant, so your parents should not worry.
2006-10-18 10:00:04 · answer #1 · answered by stienbabe 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cats can absolutely affect a woman's future. I know that I'm going to have a lot less money in the future if I keep feeding their fat furry butts!
In regards to what the doctor told your aunt:
Cats can be carriers of a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. This infection can spread to humans who have contact with cats' feces, which is why it is often recommended that pregnant women never change cat litter. Cats generally get this parasite from catching & eating rodents, so it's not as big a concern for indoor cats. However, it's best to err on the side of caution and at least wear gloves when changing the litterbox.
Humans who are infected with toxoplasmosis generally experience mild flu-like symptoms, but it can be very bad for a developing fetus. Humans can also get toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat, or even from gardening where an infected animal has pooped.
2006-10-18 17:54:39 · answer #2 · answered by yahookangaroo 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pregnant women should not handle or go near used kitty litter as there is something nasty in it that can affect the pregnancy. This is true. Don't get rid of the cat but just make sure someone else is cleaning the litterbox DAILY to ensure this nasty doesn't take up residence. Your parents are being paranoid. You don't get this nasty (I can't remember the name) and it stays in your system for the next 20 years...that's just silly. You are perfectly safe being around your kitty and petting her as much as you want until you get pregnant, then and only then do you need to back off a bit. Think about it, how often do you hear about pregnant women giving up their cats everytime they have a baby? Here's a great link I just found too...
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html
2006-10-18 17:04:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That doctor needs to go back to medical school!!! Sleeping with a cat is not going to make anyone have a miscarriage.
2006-10-18 22:39:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its been said that if you handle cat feces and or urine (usually during a litter change) that it can affect a pregnancy. i however have never seen or heard of this first hand. many friends of mine have happy healthy cats and babies. so this is probably just an old wives tale.
2006-10-18 17:00:05 · answer #5 · answered by Rayknee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
did your friend have a lot of cats because that could be the problem
2006-10-18 16:58:55 · answer #6 · answered by Lava Baby 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
http://familydoctor.org/180.xml
Here's an article about toxoplasmosis, and it's effects on pregnant women
2006-10-18 17:54:55 · answer #7 · answered by judy a 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's ridiculous!
Did that doctor time-travel from the middle ages?!
2006-10-18 16:57:23 · answer #8 · answered by Lee 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋