Pregnant with indoors cats & tested + toxoplasmosis

Hi, everybody, I dont have any question but this is just to inform all this beautifull mom to be who also have with  furry cats at home.

I have 6 indoor cats who are my babies,  I am 42y/o and after 2 negative IVF's , finally i got pregnant. well this is my first month so I go day by day.

I went to my head doctor for a physical and  everything was great including my toxoplasmos being positive. I do voluntary work in shelters and touch a lot of straigh cats that eventually go to adoption homes or put to sleep which is the sad part of the rescues due to lack of adoption. ( very sad..by the way  remember to spay and neuter your pets!) and this is why i am toxo positive ( not because of my indoor cats...)

Anyway...it doesnt mean i have it now, it means i had the infection before so i have to be carefull now cleaning the litters. I stop helping the rescue 3 weeks ago to cleaning the litters but... i will be back in 1 year after the baby is born to keep helping...


Before i used to clean the litters with no globes , NOW i have to be careful and  not touch  by accident any  poo poo or any raw meat ...the point is ..dont be afraid , you dont need to get ride of your cats or ignore them, You just have to be careful when cleaning the litter, cleaning the garden, preparing raw meat.....etc
TOXO not only comes from cats come from many different ways...( so please dont blame your gorgeous cat)


   just read below:

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a microscopic parasite.  You can get Toxoplasmosis by eating undercooked infected meat or by handling soil or cat litter that contain the parasite.  Most adults have no symptoms, but the infection can cross the placenta to the unborn child
Cats often become infected with Toxoplasmosis when they eat an infected rodent or bird.  Infected cats typically appear healthy.  The parasite is resistant to most household disinfectants, and may live for more than a year in soil.  It is imperative that a pregnant woman not handle kitty litter, as well as taking the following precautions:

-  Don't feed the cat raw or undercooked meats.
-  Keep the cat indoors to prevent it from hunting birds or rodents.
-  Don't eat raw or undercooked meat, especially lamb or pork. Meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160º F throughout.
-  If you handle raw meat, wash your hands immediately with soap. Never touch your eyes, nose or mouth with potentially contaminated hands.
-  Wash all raw fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
-  Wear gloves when gardening, since outdoor soil may contain the parasite
-  Avoid children's sandboxes. Cats may use them as a litter box.
- Contaminating food with knives, utensils, cutting boards and other foods that have had contact with raw meat.
- Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma.
-Receiving an infected organ transplant or blood transfusion, though this is rare.

Healthy adults typically suffer no ill effects from toxoplasmosis, and do not have symptoms to suggest infection.  If tests show that the fetus is not yet infected, the mother may be given an antibiotic called spiramycin. Some studies suggest that spiramycin can reduce by about 50 percent the likelihood of the fetus becoming infected.  If your baby should become infected, your physician will typically attempt to treat the infection aggressively, and will likely begin treating immune system issues immediately after birth.


Besides this infection..al infections are dangerous not only toxo, HIV, drinking problems, smoking, all kind of drugs...etc...remember when you are pregnant anything that is not right for you it wont be right for the baby...

If you are planning to become pregnant, your health care provider may test you for Toxoplasma. If the test is positive it means you have already been infected sometime in your life. There usually is little need to worry about passing the infection to your baby. If the test is negative, take necessary precautions to avoid infection (See below).

If you are already pregnant, you and your health care provider should discuss your risk for toxoplasmosis. Your health care provider may order a blood sample for testing.

If you have a weakened immune system, ask your doctor about having your blood tested for Toxoplasma. If your test is positive, your doctor can tell you if and when you need to take medicine to prevent the infection from reactivating. If your test is negative, it means you have never been infected and you need to take precautions to avoid infection.


If I am at risk, would I be able to keep my cat?
Yes, you may keep your cat if you are a person at risk for a severe infection (e.g., you have a weakened immune system or are pregnant); however, there are several safety precautions to avoid being exposed to Toxoplasma:


Keep your cat indoors:

Keep your cat healthy and help prevent it from becoming infected with Toxoplasma. Keep your cat indoors and feed it dry or canned cat food rather than allowing it to have access to wild birds and rodents or to food scraps. A cat can become infected by eating infected prey or by eating raw or undercooked meat infected with the parasite. Do not bring a new cat into your house that might have spent time out of doors or might have been fed raw meat. Avoid stray cats and kittens and the area they have adopted as their "home." Your veterinarian can answer any other questions you may have regarding your cat and risk for toxoplasmosis.


Have someone who is healthy and not pregnant change your cat's litter box daily. If this is not possible, wear gloves and clean the litter box every day, because the parasite found in cat feces needs one or more days after being passed to become infectious. Wash your hands well with soap and water afterwards.


Once infected with Toxoplasma is my cat always able to spread the infection to me?


No, cats only spread Toxoplasma in their feces for a few weeks following infection with the parasite. Like humans, cats rarely have symptoms when first infected, so most people do not know if their cat has been infected. The infection will go away on its own; therefore it does not help to have your cat or your cat's feces tested for Toxoplasma.



  Good luck to every one and I am posting with 2 of my cats on the top of my computer...lol..they are a pain..I love them..lol...and my husband love them too!...ohh I forgot to tell you a 2 dogs as well...ohhh a big happy family ( yes i have 4,000 sq country house so they have enough place to run....
bye for now!