CATS and pregnancy questions!!!

[CG25]

i have two cats and sometimes, unfortunately, i will have to be the one to clean the litter box - what should i do??

also i read online that even after touching kitties, pregnant women should wash their hands thoroughly. im not sure if that's totally realistic for me, but i do not want to risk toxoplasmosis.

anyone pregnant with cats or been pregnant with cats have any advice or experience to share?

thanks

 

[crazycatlady5]

Have you had cats most of your life? In all likelihood you have built an immunity.

To be safe I would really do your best to avoid changing the litterbox. I think it's unlikely you'd get it from just handling them in general. I have two cats and I don't clean the litterbox. If I'm playing with them a lot or brushing them I wash my hands. My husband cleans the litterbox now, he's going to be away a lot of the summer and so at that time my mom will come over and clean it for me a few times a week, so not as often as we clean it now, but enough so that I don't have to do it. Do you have someone who can do this for you?

If not, get rubber gloves and wear those when cleaning, and then just really wash after, just incase.

 

[CG25]

actually, i haven't had cats my whole life. i've had em for about 4 years

i can get help cleaning the litter box most days, but i suppose there are some days i have to do it myself and i did clean it multiple times before i knew about the risk to pregnant women.

but i pet and cuddle the kitties all the time! have not been washing my hands CONSTANTLY after doing so - i guess i will be more cognizant. my cats are indoor, and i read that the risk may be lower with indoor cats (in terms of toxoplasmosis)

thanks for your reply!

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

My cat is an outdoor cat so she doesn't have a litter tray but i think id just use gloves to empty litter trays if i had them, on the part of washing hands after stroking cats i wouldnt, my cat sleeps on my bed and i stroke her all the time and i dont wash my hands after :/ i dont wash my hands after stroking my dog either, however if i hold my snakes i always wash my hands

 

[CG25]

My cat is an outdoor cat so she doesn't have a litter tray but i think id just use gloves to empty litter trays if i had them, on the part of washing hands after stroking cats i wouldnt, my cat sleeps on my bed and i stroke her all the time and i dont wash my hands after :/ i dont wash my hands after stroking my dog either, however if i hold my snakes i always wash my hands

yeah my cats sleep in my bed too. i just dont even know if washing my hands after petting them would even make a difference lol

 

[staycb01]

I have 3 cats and I just use disposable gloves each time and make sure to wash my hands. When I asked my Dr. about it he says with indoor cats there's really no risk - it's if your cat is outdoors that toxoplasmosis could be an issue/.

 

[CG25]

I have 3 cats and I just use disposable gloves each time and make sure to wash my hands. When I asked my Dr. about it he says with indoor cats there's really no risk - it's if your cat is outdoors that toxoplasmosis could be an issue/.

oh ok, wow. that's good to know! thanks

 

[Scout]

I have a cat and am single so had no choice but to clean the litter box. I asked both my OB and my perinatologist (I was high risk) and both said it was fine as long as I wash up after, which I always did anyways. Also, if you change it everyday then you should be okay too as the cat poop has to be outside the cat's body for 24 hours b/4 the toxoplasmosis becomes infectious. (my vet told me that) If you have an indoor only cat then you should be fine since cat's become infected by eating rodents. I really didn't worry about it all after talking to my OB. I've read lots of others say you more likely to become infected by working out in your garden than by your cat.

 

[orionfox]

Yes there is no risk with indoor only cats...if you read up on it more, you can see why it really only has to do with cats that go outdoors.

 

[Nikie]

My kitten hasn't been outside yet (she's too little!) so this is reassuring to read. Will not be passing this on to my partner though! Already told him he needs to change litter tray now and what he doesn't know won't hurt him

 

[Indi84]

My dh does it for me when he is home but works full time, so I have to do it in the day. I wear disposable gloves, then wash my hands after.

 

[Buffyx]

I've had my kitty for 2 years and he's my first cat. We got rid of his litter box when I fell pregnant, which wasn't a big deal because he spends lots of time outside as well as inside. And to be honest, I'm always patting him & kissing him and I don't always wash my hands afterwards. I've been fine so far

 

[AJae]

For peace of mind, you can be tested for it with your blood test.
I was but it came back that i had never had it and i am not immune to it.
I have always had cats in my life (18+ at one point some 30 years ago and they were strays and outdoor cats!!) i now have 3 cats (indoor, fussy ones!!) MW was very concerned that i was not immune, despite so much exposure to cats my entire life (and the scars from their claws to prove it!) She has suggested i avoid all cats and gardening from here on in.

Breaks my heart. However i would never have known had i not had test with bloods. Check with MW on next visit and take their advice.

 

[prettybirdy27]

I have had indoor/outdoor cats most of my life, so I'm sure if I was going to get it, I'd have gotten it by now. My current cat, who I have had for about 14 years (see avatar) is indoor only so she isn't a risk. My doc told me that I am no longer to clean the litter box though. Also, since she's 14, she has a little trouble cleaning herself, so I have to beware of what I like to call "dingleberries."

 

[macydarling]

I have cats too so I was delighted to have a legit excuse for DH to have to scoop the box for once. You should be fine if you are forced to do it occasionally but in addition to the gloves I would wear a face mask too or if you don't have one tie a scarf or shirt around your mouth and nose so you aren't breathing in the dust and particles.

 

[Srrme]

I have a cat and I am always the one who cleans the litter box. I was tested for Toxoplasmosis during a previous pregnancy and it revealed I was immune to it (I must have been exposed at some point in my life). If you've been around cats (especially outdoor cats) you've likely been exposed to it too. Cats who have Toxoplasmosis are only contagious for a short period (a few weeks if I recall correctly) and shed the parasite during that time ONLY. They don't shed it for months, years, etc.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Wear gloves and wash your hands after cleaning the litter box.

 

[PurpleIvy44]

I haven't read all the replies so I'm sorry if it's been said but it is not as big of a deal as ppl make it out to be. If you have indoor cats then don't worry unless they kill mice or rats. Just wash you hands after you change the litter. You would have to physically handle the poop and I'm fairly certain you don't do that.

I have 3 cats and I changed the litter box most the time while pregnant with dd. I do wear a mask but always have just due to where the box is located (closet) and all the dust the litter produces.