You probably already know that your fave soft cheeses are off the menu and hot spas are a no-no now that you’re pregnant – but there’s something that cat owners do several times a week that’s possibly harmful to unborn babies.
I have two cats and just found out we’re expected and a friend told me today that hubby should be changing their litter trays while I’m pregnant – is that right?
Yes and no. You can completely outsource the task while your body is busy growing a little human, or take extra precautions.
What’s the problem with cat litter trays and pregnancy?
There’s a chance you could contract toxoplasmosis, which is a really common disease that’s caused by a parasite that can live in the cat litter tray.
Toxoplasmosis can be caught from things like eating or handling uncooked meat, not washing your hands after gardening and touching cat faeces.
While many people who have toxoplasmosis have no symptoms, other people get really sick from it – it can affect the eyes, brain and other organs. And it can harm unborn babies – the infection can lead to issues with bub’s hearing, eyesight and thinking.
How do I avoid getting toxoplasmosis?
If you are going to be changing the cat litter tray, you need to make sure you carefully wash your hands afterwards (also do this after handling food and gardening – or wear gloves). You could also change the cat litter twice a day to make sure the cat poop isn’t hanging around longer than necessary.
Source: Health Direct
Read next …
Need to know how to prep your pet for the big arrival of the baby? We’ve chatted to the experts, here’s what you need to know:
- How to prepare your cat for a new baby
- How to safely introduce your dog to your newborn
- 5 reasons having a dog is good for kids
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