HUMANIMAL

Your Pregnancy and Your Cat

By Joy Pape, FNP-C, CDCES and Nicole Cerniello, DVM

Congratulations to Dr. Cerniello who is pregnant and soon to deliver her second baby. We want to let you know about a common preventable infection that can be serious for women during pregnancy (and others with compromised immune systems).

The infection, called toxoplasmosis, is caused by a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). It is a zoonotic disease, which means it is transmitted from animals to humans. In this article, we will focus on the relationship of human pregnancy and cats and how to prevent getting the infection.

This parasite can persist for a long time in humans and animals, often with few to no symptoms in people. Having a healthy immune system can keep you from having symptoms but not so for all women who are pregnant.

HUMANS
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cats play an important role in the spread of toxoplasmosis. Here’s some information from their website.

When should I be concerned about toxoplasmosis?
Generally, if you were infected with Toxoplasma before your pregnancy, your baby is protected by your immunity. Some experts suggest waiting for six months after an infection to become pregnant.

How can Toxoplasma affect my baby?
If you are newly infected (before or during your pregnancy) you can pass the infection on to your baby. You may not have any symptoms. Most infected infants do not have symptoms at birth but can develop serious symptoms later, such as blindness or mental disability.

How do I know if I have been infected with Toxoplasma?
Your health care provider may suggest blood tests to check for antibodies.

How is toxoplasmosis spread?
Cats become infected by eating infected rodents, birds or other small animals. The parasite is then passed in the cat’s feces. Kittens and cats can shed parasites in their feces for as long as three weeks after infection. Because they use litter boxes, garden soils, and sandboxes for elimination, you may be exposed by touching your mouth after changing a litter box or gardening without gloves. Fruits and vegetables may contact contaminated soil or water and you can be infected by eating them if they are not cooked, washed or peeled.

What are the best ways to protect myself or my baby against toxoplasmosis?

• Avoid changing cat litter. If you must, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands with soap and water after.
• Change the litter box daily. The  parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat’s feces.
• Feed your cat commercial dry or canned food, not raw or undercooked meats.
• Keep cats indoors.
• Avoid stray cats, especially kittens. Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
• Keep outdoor sandboxes covered.
• Wear gloves when gardening and during contact with soil or sand. Wash hands with soap and water after contact.
• Wash your hands and safely diaper and feed your baby as recommended by the CDC. You should also:
• Cook foods to internal temperatures high enough to kill harmful pathogens like Toxoplasma. Check out the U.S. Government’s Food Safety Chart.
• Freeze meat for several days below 0° F before cooking.
• Do not drink untreated water or unpasteurized goat milk.
• Do not eat undercooked oysters, mussels, or clams. For more information visit the CDC Food Safety website.

Is there treatment available for toxoplasmosis?
Yes, medication is available. You and your baby should be closely monitored during your pregnancy and after your baby is born.

Can I breastfeed my baby if I contracted a Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy?
Yes you can. Breast milk transmission of the infection is not likely. You should be cautious if you have cracked and bleeding nipples. It is theoretically possible to transmit Toxoplasma  through breast milk. However, it has never been documented and the likelihood of human milk transmission is very small. Immune suppressed women could have Toxoplasma in their bloodstream for longer periods of time.

Let’s see what Dr. Cerniello recommends for you, your baby and your beloved cat.

PETS
Yes! You can keep your cat!
There are many misconceptions surrounding Toxoplasma. Cats are often over represented as carriers of infections in people. Most infections come from eating undercooked meat, specifically pork or lamb. Gardening can be another source of infection especially where there are stray cat populations (which is virtually everywhere).
There are two forms of toxoplasmosis: 1) the oocysts shed in cat feces and 2) the tissue stages ingested from undercooked meat.

Typically, cats only shed oocysts (for about 5-14 days) the first time they are infected. It takes about two days in the environment to become dangerous to people. This is why it is recommended to change litter boxes  daily.
A dog that has eaten infected cat feces can shed oocytes for two days. Yet another reason to diligently clean your cat’s litter box!

TAKE AWAYS
Yes, you can (and should!) keep your cat!
Follow the CDC recommendations.

Learn More
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention -Parasites-Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma Infection)
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention-Toxoplasmosis & Pregnancy FAQs