Do you know that pregnant women can be at risk of miscarriage because of cats?

Have you ever heard a story about pregnant women and cats? Many of you may not have heard about it. Today, ACU PAY will tell you how to safely live with cats during pregnancy.

Can pregnant womens and cats live together?

There are a lot of things that one should be careful about during pregnancy, especially germs. Invisible germs can affect a fetus severely to the point of being disabled and dying. Pregnant women who have cats as pets should pay a lot of attention to this content.

You may have heard that the pregnants and cats should not be together due to germs from pets, especially cats since cats are true carriers of ‘Toxoplasmosis’ which can harm the fetus.

Get to know Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a major Zoonosis (animal-to-human transmitted disease) caused by the protozoan infection called Toxoplasma gondii. The germs have a life cycle that can grow in all warm-blooded animals, but cats are classified as true hosts. The germs rely on the cat’s digestive tract to complete growth and release eggs (Oocyst) mixed with cat feces. Cats that are vulnerable to this disease are open-system cats which have predatory behaviors such as mice, birds, or eating undercooked meat. However, the chances of finding an infection are relatively small or none if it is a closed-system cat that does not eat raw meat, birds, or mice.

There are three ways for germs to spread to humans

Eating or drinking water contaminated with fully grow eggs
Eating a cyst bag of parasites in raw, undercooked meat that contains this Toxoplasmosis disease.
Through the placenta to the fetus if the mother is infected during pregnancy.

If the pregnants are infected with Toxoplasmosis, the disease will go through the placenta to the fetus and cause the fetus to have Toxoplasmosis. However, the pregnants will not be considered as a risk group if they have been exposed to Toxoplasmosis before the pregnancy and the body already has antibodies to Toxoplasmosis and are healthy.

More vulnerable groups, such as people who are immunodeficiency from AIDS or have been infected with Toxoplasmosis just before pregnancy, or those with cancer who get pregnant, have had chemotherapy, or had organ transplants.

Preparation and practice so that pregnant people and cats can live together happily and safely for the pregnants who live with pets.

Avoid direct contact with cat feces. Let other people be responsible for cleaning the cat’s litter tray. If it is necessary to clean by yourself, wear gloves, wear a sanitary mask neatly while cleaning, and wash your hands or wash your body immediately after cleaning.
Often wash your hands after touching cats. Do not rub your eyes or eat food if you are not washing your hands.
Avoid drinking unclean water.
Avoid eating raw or half-cooked meat.
If it is necessary to do gardening or touch soil or sand, avoid direct exposure because Toxoplasmosis can contaminate the surrounding environment.
Make room for cats and do not bring them to your bed during pregnancy.
Clean the house regularly, including cleaning cat items such as cats’ litter boxes, toys, or food trays with heat because heat can be used to destroy protozoan eggs.