Cats and pregnant women. What you need to know if you have a cat and are pregnant.
One of the dilemmas of a pregnant woman is whether or not to keep the cat with her during pregnancy and the baby's growth. We see on the "cat" groups on Facebook many women who offer their cats for adoption, on the grounds that they are pregnant and can no longer keep them close to them.
With the appearance of a pregnancy, the pressures of those around also appear. Family and friends pressure us to give up the cat because it would pose a danger to the pregnancy and the baby. Although we love our feline, because of those around us, there is still concern because we are frequently warned about toxoplasmosis. This would be the first "cause" invoked by those who want to get rid of the feline.
The moment you are certain that you are carrying a child, it is necessary to visit the doctor, both for you and for the cat.
Subject
Parasites – Cats and pregnant women
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The main sources of infection are undercooked or raw meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, gardening in soil contaminated with animal feces, failure to observe basic hygiene rules, and insufficient hand washing after handling raw meat.
The host of this parasite can also be the cat, but only if it comes into contact with the feces of other cats, hunts and eats mice and rats - these being the main carriers of the parasite - or if it consumes raw infested meat offered by the owner himself.
Cats, like humans, can only be infected with toxoplasmosis once in their lifetime. Doctors recommend using disposable gloves when cooking, cleaning or cleaning the cat's litter box. During pregnancy, the litter box must be sanitized more often than usual.
To find out whether or not you have had the disease, blood tests are needed. These will show whether you had the disease before you got pregnant and have antibodies against it or not. If you or your cat tests positive for toxoplasmosis, don't worry, as treatment is easy and, in the vast majority of infestations, favorable.
Cat hair during pregnancy
Another reason why expectant mothers want to give up their "first child" would be an allergy to cat hair. Well, if until the moment of pregnancy there were no problems, it should remain the same after. To be safe, perform analysis. It's not the cat hair that's the problem, it's the bacteria on it.
People with weakened immune systems can be affected by the bacteria Bartonella henselae found in cat saliva. Following a bite or scratch, it can cause inflammation or a wound that usually heals on its own within 3-10 days. If complications occur, consult your doctor to prescribe the appropriate treatment.
To prevent the transmission of possible infections from the cat to the pregnant cat, deworm the cat regularly, use disinfectant daily in the place where you stay, wash and disinfect the cat's litter box daily wearing gloves, wash fruits and vegetables well, do not eat undercooked meat, and make sure that your cat also respects the hygiene rules and does not come into contact with food that has not been thermally prepared.
Happy baby with cat
Doctors say that a baby who stays in the presence of the cat will develop antibodies and have a strong immunity. It has also been shown that pregnant women who live and care for cats are less stressed during this period, due to the positive effect of the cat's torso.
Thus, you can continue to enjoy the joy, love and attention of your cat during pregnancy. In conclusion, be a little more careful about food and hygiene and leave the cat at home.
In conclusion, cats and pregnant women can be together without risk.
