Should I be worried?

[*Cupcake*]

I cuddle my cat lots. He makes me feel better. I kiss him on the top of his head sometimes (not often) My Aunt saw me bringing him downstairs as hes taken to sleeping on the end of my bed and she freaked out. I thought you could only catch toxoplasmosis from handling cat poo that had been there for a while or from eating undercooked meat. But she was telling me it will be on his fur too. I have to admitt there have been times Ive picked him up and not washed my hands and like I said sometime I kiss him on the top of the head. Im really worried now. It doesnt help that my depression (I was on prozac untill I found out I was pregnant) has taken a turn for the worse. I feel so guilty. I feel like Ive put my babies life at risk. I dont want her to have problems because of me. I looked it up on the net and read lots of horror stories. Should I be worried? Ive been avoiding my cat all day and he looks so sad I really dont know what to do. Please help

 

[moomoo192]

dont worry

I've got a cat too, had more than one at times of my other prgnancies, as far as i know you can only catch it from touching its poo.

I never stopped cuddling/kissing my cats and i didn't always wash my hands after so try not to worry about it.

 

[sunnyday]

I think you can only catch it from a cat if you have been handling its feces, or by touching something where the infected feces has been - the litter tray or soil in the garden.

It doesn't sound to me as if you've done anything to put your baby at risk.

Try not to worry, but if its playing on your mind seek reassurance from the midwife or GP

 

[Tegala-7thMarch08]

i dont wash my hands after touching my cat never new u had too

 

[Marmite]

I think your pretty much safe anyway if you live with cats anyway because you build up resistances, i would say you would only have any cause to worry if it was a new kitten or someone elses cat and you didnt have cats of your own.

 

[KJL]

As far as I understood, if you are used to having a cat around or have had one around for a while then you are less susceptible to getting toxoplasmosis as you are more likely to be immune. You are more vulnerable to it if you are not used to having a cat around i.e. I haven't been around cats much so I should be more careful at handling them.

 

[*Cupcake*]

I lived with a cat for a few years about 2 years ago and Ive had George about 10 months. Im getting so paronoid recently I just love my LO so much that Id die if Id done something to hurt her.

 

[Squiglet]

toxoplasmosis can be carried on the fur... its why we shaved one of our cats because he does get poop all over him and then drags it around... but he is really really long haired and struggles to keep himself clean. So its pretty unhygienic as he does get on the work tops too...

Its not an easy illness to contract. We have two cats and I've never caught it, infact the only person I know to have caught it is my sister and she has an immunodeficiency similar to full blown AIDS. Its usually contracted through cat litter, or through soil where cats have messed... but in general its not that easy to catch.

You should be fine as long as you wash your hands before eating, but then thats a good practice full stop regardless of if you have cats.. as its one of the best ways to prevent norovirus too ..

 

[paradysso]

i know some one who caught it coz her cat pee'd on her herb garden. does pee carry it too?

 

[Squiglet]

i know some one who caught it coz her cat pee'd on her herb garden. does pee carry it too?

No its a parasite in the intestines.. the cat must have pooped in there without her knowing.

 

[*Cupcake*]

i know some one who caught it coz her cat pee'd on her herb garden. does pee carry it too?

Was she pregnant when she caught it? I thought it was only from poo. Theres a thing you can get from rats (the name escapes me) that is passed in urine. I heard it can be caught from pubs leaving bottles outside and rats pee on them then people drink from the glasses. I dunno if thats true or a story my mother told me to stop me drinking from the bottle and not putting my drink in a glass or using a straw.

 

[muppetmummy]

never heard about it being carried on fur before, I wouldn't worry too much. It's the poo you need to be careful with. I still clean my gingers lumps litter tray wearing gloves.

 

[*Cupcake*]

Ive put it on my long list of things to ask my midwife about at my 28 week check-up on thursday. Its a long list atm, hope she doesnt think im crazy. Thanks for the info ladies Id be lost without this site.

 

[Babylicious]

I've never heard of that before, just thought it was in the poo. I aint stopping cuddling my pooky

 

[Natural mamma]

I read an article on this recently.....will try to remember where. But it is REALLY hard to get your more likely to get it from undercooked meat than from changing cat litter....As cats only carry it at certain times in their life NOT all the time!

 

[GBLiz]

i read you're only at risk if you've never been exposed to toxoplas-whatsit prior to becoming pregnant. Cos if you have, you'd already have immunity.

Ive been brought up with cats so im sure ive been exposed to it forever, i have my beautiful pussycat with me now and she sleeps with me still (i guess that will have to stop when the baby is in with us ) as far as im concerned its natural to be around animals and humans and animals have been side by side for centuries! I couldnt get by without my pussycat , when im feeling miserable she's there for me

minimize the risk by being careful with cat poo of course but other than that i think its about as low a risk as the whole listeria-cheese thing...you never really hear about it happening even though the risk is there.