Toxoplasmosis risk?

[Ed_are2live]

I love animals and every time I got to the pet store to pick up food for my indoor cat I drop in to the cat center and visit and pet all the cute kitties.
Well I'm 6.5 weeks prego and I completely forgot about the toxoplasmosis risk and was in the center petting all the cats (I did smell bad too). I used the hand sanitizer of course, but now I'm worried about toxoplasmosis. I know it's most common vector is through stool and dirt but while I was researching it, I saw that it can also be transferred via droplet (inhaled).
Am I really at a great risk for getting this? I was in the row about 5-10 mins.

Nervous first time pregnant

 

[yeahuloveme]

I have three cats! as was told as long as I dont clean up the litter tray, and wash my hands I should be okay, but I prob have anti bodies for it any way x

 

[skye93]

I have two cats. They sleep in our bed lol.
Last pregnancy was fine and I'm guessing this one will be to.

 

[Alita]

I have 2 cats and had cats all my life ..theres some myths about toxo ..
you can only get toxo if then kitties are eating raw meat ,eg rats , birds or are in constant exposure with outdoor soil
there is virtually 0 risk if your cats are indoor and you don't feed them raw meat..
my DH still empties the litter box just to be on the safe side ( germs ect)
i assume the kitties u where in contact where not given raw meat or hunting rats so no worries.

Also..I got tested for it and i am not immune ,having cats doesn't necessarily make you immune ..

I love my cats ,my girl cat is showing me her tummy at this very moment .prrrrr..

 

[emalou90]

I was fine with my two cats first preg. Got my oh to change the litter box but sometimes he didn't so I did.
Keep hygienic and you'll be fine


Totally forgot I was pregnant the other day, stroking this gorgeous Bengal outside our shop. Random cat. Didn't wash my hands straight after or anything and I'm fine x

 

[yeahuloveme]

I will tell my cats to leave the Rats down the allotment alone, my kitten bought me a vowl the other day and I picked it up and threw it away with out thinking about it, OBVIOUSLY I washed my hands thoroughly after.

 

[Alita]

Haha , i think the risk is rather low with cats ,forgot to say toxo spores activate after approximately 30 -48 hours , so if the litter box is emptied every day twice you have also very low risk .. Undercooked Meat has more risk of contamination than kitties , i wouldn't worry so much ladies..

I remember my friend didnt want to visit me for a whole year almost while she was pregnant , i was little hurt so researched the risks and realised how much misinformation about toxo is around ,specially with pregnant ladies , some ladies even give their cats away ..the vet explained everything to us and said the risk is very low in most cases..

 

[LizChase]

My doctor told me the risk is really only with outdoor cats, like someone else said on here. She said my hubby should still clean out the litter box to be safe, but that there is very little chance of a problem with cats kept indoors.

 

[joeyjo]

I agree with the others the risk is very low.

I am a vet and I have not got immunity to toxo (or didn't in my last 2 pregnancies). I wore gloves when handling young cats, didn't deal with litter trays etc and refused to examine a young stray that was in a really bad way and had diarrhoea (if nobody else had been on site I would have worn surgical mask gown and gloves and helped it)

 

[xdxxtx]

It's extremely unlikely to get it, regardless... It's definitely extremely rare to get it if you haven't come into contact with the cat's "mess"... Just make sure you wash your hands well after handling the cats. Most people who've been around cats a lot or who have cats are immune to it already, so remember that. I forgot all about this risk once, I was out and had a stray come up to me and I pet it... I used some sanitizer and went about my day. This was when I was pregnant with my first, and I don't have cats or spend time around them because I'm allergic... but I was still fine. I'm sure you will be, too. Just wash your hands after, to be completely safe.

 

[ItsAWonder]

I have a cat who sleeps with my at night. My doc said it's fine as he has never seen an actual case of Toxoplasmosis in his 30 year career. It is transferred via inhalation so he said not to clean the cat litter and to try to stop the cat from pawing my mouth/nose when I am sleeping - which she likes to do just to spite me and my good dreams.

Another thing my doc said was that gardening was a much bigger danger. Since animals like to poop outside, many times in gardens, you can easily be breathing it in anytime you break ground. If you do want to garden wear gloves and a mask.

 

[Ed_are2live]

Thanks for easing my mind!