i have 2 cats,and i found out that cats litter is bad for your growing baby inside the womb.how true is this? i love to hold and hug my cats,and i was so disappointed that i cant even hold them.pls help..
2007-09-20 18:01:32 · 20 answers · asked by crazy4adelle 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Get information from your doctor and your vet about cat-borne organisms that can harm unborn babies and take appropriate precautions e.g. don't handle soiled cat litter and scrub garden vegetables before eating them. Toxoplasmosis can harm an unborn baby, but cats are not the sole source of toxoplasmosis. Use rubber gloves and common sense about hygiene when cleaning out litter trays (if this task is unavoidable). Also ensure your cats are healthy and vaccinated. Treat them for parasites and worms regularly. Provided you are sensible about hygiene, there's no reason why you shouldn't continue to have a loving and affectionate relationship with your cats.
Cats are creatures of habit and when the baby arrives there will be lots of changes within the home, new sounds, smells and lots of visitors. I don't know what steps you may taken to prepare them for the arrival of your baby, but the web articles below offer really good advice on how to do this. They also dispel the old housewives tales about them harming babies too.
http://www.messybeast.com/cat_baby.htm
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/web/FILES/literature/Your_cat_and_your_baby_leaflet.pdf
Hope this helps and that all goes well with your baby.
2007-09-21 09:14:06 · answer #1 · answered by Michele the Louis Wain cat 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Holding them and petting them is fine. Like everyone else said, you can't handle the litter end of the bargain. There is a parasite called toxoplasmosis that lives in cat feces. Not all cats are affected, and this parasite takes 24hours to get infective after the cat passes it. Having said that, it is better safe than sorry - just don't go near the litter box. Use this as a golden opportunity to get your husband or significant other used to cleaning poop! You should also avoid any possible contact with outdoor cat poop - stray cats will go in gardens, sand boxes, etc. If you garden or weed flower beds, just keep an eye out and try to avoid the area near where a cat has gone, and you should be fine. Good luck with the baby!
2007-09-20 18:17:30 · answer #2 · answered by g8rgal 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The main risk (of toxoplasmosis) is from feces in the litter box or raw infected meat. So as long as the cat doesn't eat raw meat (including raw fresh killed mice) and is well groomed (nothing unpleasant sticking to the backside of a long haired cat) you should be ok to hold the cat, but please have someone else in the household change the litterbox and clean the area right around it. Also, you may want to use gloves while gardening and around outdoor sandboxes for the same reason during your pregnancy if there are free-roaming cats in the neighborhood (who may have done their business there). No reliable sources that I have found indicate that there is any harm from merely holding or stroking your cat.
2007-09-21 00:06:51 · answer #3 · answered by userafw 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can hold your cat, but don't change the litter box. Cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which is potentially very harmful to a fetus. If your cat is strictly an indoor cat, it's unlikely it would have toxoplasmosis, but an outdoor has a better chance of getting it. Your vet can test your cat for toxoplasmosis. This may be a good idea even just to calm your nerves if you have changed the cat box while pregnant. And, if you absolutely have to change the cat box be sure to wear rubber gloves and a mask over your mouth.
2007-09-20 19:06:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Stay away from the litter box, (pregnancy is a great way to get your husband/boyfriend to clean the litterbox). But you can hold and pet your cat as much as you want. When you have the baby, make sure you still give attention to the cats or they will be resentful of the baby.
2007-09-20 19:04:03 · answer #5 · answered by Liam's Mommy 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Toxoplasmois can be a danger BUT consider this.
1. the cat must be a carrier, and very few are
2. most people have been exposed to toxoplasmois and are immune. If you work in a garden or dig in the dirt you've already been exposed.
The cat feces are the problem--either get someone else to clean the box for you OR you can do it yourself but wear latex gloves to keep anything from getting on your hands. You'd have to handle the feces directly (it's not the 'litter' that's got it it's the feces).
But as I said, most cats aren't carriers. Just take precautions.
2007-09-21 15:03:12 · answer #6 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no reason to not hold and love your cats.
Cats can carry toxoplasmosis. It's in there feces. Pregnant women aren't supposed to clean litter boxes but, if they have too you should wash your hands as soon as you are done. You can also take your cat to the vet and have them tested for it. If they don't have it and are indoor cats where they can't be infected by an animal that does have it you are ok. For sanitary reasons I recomend washing your hands after messing with litter anyway.
You can read all about it in the source I listed. Congrats on your baby!
2007-09-20 18:13:50 · answer #7 · answered by Caileigh'sMom 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
you should be fine holding your cats my nieghbor was pregnant a year ago and the strange thing is my cat picked up on it she was very friendly to the neighbor even let her pick her up i cant even do that her daughter now is one and both are happy and healthy so dont fret maybe instead of using regular commercial litter use the organic stuff while your pregnant just dont change it suddenly mix the old in with the new.organic is better anyways i have two cats and my house dosent smell like it
2007-09-20 19:14:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You actually can hold and play with them, feed them, etc. The only danger is in the cat's litter and feces. Have someone clean the box for you and take care of sweeping the litter, and all will be well!
2007-09-20 18:10:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Don't let everyone get you all worked up. Get the facts from the Center For Disease Control. The disease that you can get is called "toxoplasmosis" and you can get it from other things besides cat feces. If your cats are strictly indoor cats and don't eat raw meat it is very unlikely that they would have ever been exposed to the the parasite. Also, cats don't carry the parasite on their fur.
Read about it. All the answers are here:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/toxoplasmosis_brochure_8.2004.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm
2007-09-20 18:33:24 · answer #10 · answered by gymsock 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋