Having a Pet Cat during Pregnancy | ExpatWoman.com
 

Having a Pet Cat during Pregnancy

18
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 March 2012 - 12:07

Hi all
We are urrently ttc and we have a lovely pet cat who is our proxy baby! My DH is very concerned about us keeping him if i do get pregnant and I am heartbroken as I adore him. He is an outdoor and indoor cat and has a tray which DH has now started emptying and will continue to do so. He is also banned from bedrooms (cat not DH!). Has anybody kept a pet cat like this during pregnancy and any tips? I really do not want to get rid of him and he is so affectionate and lovely. He had been abandoned when we found him (from the street) 2 years ago and I cannot abandon him again. I am wondering if as long as I wash my hands after stroking him etc will I be ok? ANY advise appreciated please. This is a hard journey and losing my little companion would be terrible. Thank you.

18
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 March 2012 - 11:05
Thanks jillp. Appreciated!
822
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EW GURU
Latest post on 11 March 2012 - 10:46
Stroking the cat won't do you any harm, but good hygiene is always a good thing anyway. The toxins in cat poo are only infectious after 24 hours of the cat passing them, and I'm sure you empty the tray earlier than that. It is very difficult to pick up the infection anyway. Get your husband to read the facts from a preganacy book/website. More important to prevent toxoplasmosis is to have good hygiene when preparing food as it is more common to catch it from poor food preparation. Relax and enjoy your preganacy.
18
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 March 2012 - 10:36
Thanks both of you. Really grateful for the info. I did get myself tested for Toxoplasmosis in the hope (!) that I had already got it as we have had him for 2 years but I dont have it. I have decided that I will just be extra vigilant and ensure I wash my hands after stroking him etc and never empty the tray myself. DH is taking some convincing but I am also of the mind that I will be very stressed if we lose him and thats not healthy either. The poor thing will I'm sure not know what hits him if and when we are lucky enough to have a little tormentor for him! Thank you.
70
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 March 2012 - 19:52
Yes, don't get rid of your cat. The risk from cats is Toxoplasmosis which is passed on through it's feces. I was told by my midwife during my first pregnancy that if you have had cats for a while you have probably already contracted it and your bodies immune system has dealt with it well before you got pregnant. She advised me not to worry and not to bother having the test. I found out when I was pregnant with baby no.2 that I had had it in the past (the wonders of private medical care vs NHS - had ALL the tests done 2nd time round!) so it really wasn't a worry. It would be more of a concern if you became pregnant and then got a cat. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cat now because when the baby comes you'll forget what he looks like!
822
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 March 2012 - 12:12
There is absolutely no reason to get rid of your cat during your pregnancy - you are already doing the best thing by getting your DH to empty the litter tray. if you do have to do it - just make sure you wash your hands well afterwards or wear gloves to do it.
 
 

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