The Dangers Of Litterboxes To Pregnant Women

Pregnant women should not be in contact with dirty litter or litterboxes. There is a real danger to the unborn baby if the mother does not follow the warnings against handling dirty litter. A pregnant cat owner needs to have someone else clean the litterbox or purchase and use a sanitary, self-cleaning litterbox.

Dirty litter can contain the eggs of a parasite. Cats can contract the parasite by catching an infected mouse or eating raw or undercooked meat. If a cat becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii, the fecal matter of the cat can contain eggs of this parasite. If a cat owner who is pregnant becomes infected, she develops toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis can cause problems for the fetus such as birth defects or even a miscarriage.

Although getting toxoplasmosis from a pet cat is rare, precautions should be taken to avoid this potentially dangerous parasite infection. A pregnant woman should not pet or adopt stray cats during pregnancy. No cat should be introduced into the household unless the pregnant woman is certain that the new cat was kept indoors at all times. The cats in the household should be kept indoors.

The litter box should be cleaned out every day by a non-pregnant person to help reduce the risk of the transmission of the parasitic disease. Anyone who handles the litter or litter box should wash their hands thoroughly afterwards. If the pregnant woman absolutely must handle dirty litter or the litterbox, she should wear disposable gloves and wash her hands immediately after possible contamination.

Toxoplasmosis infections can be due to eating undercooked meat or gardening as well. Proper food preparation is important to avoid food poisoning, toxoplasmosis, and other parasitic infections. Cat owners should avoid giving raw or undercooked meat to their cats. When a pregnant woman gardens, she should wear gloves and wash their hands thoroughly after any gardening activity.

Up to fifty percent of adults in the United States have been infected with toxoplasmosis at one point during their lives. In most cases, it causes no symptoms or serious health problems. Like pregnant woman, some people are at greater risk of health problems related to toxoplasmosis. Infants and young children may also be susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Anyone with a compromised immune system should not clean out the litterbox or handle dirty litter.