INTRODUCTION

If you are pregnant and have a feline at home, congratulations twice: congratulations on the new life that is on its way and congratulations on having the good fortune to be able to share this experience with your kitten.

BENEFITS OF CATS DURING PREGNANCY

There is nothing more natural than living your pregnancy with your pets, despite the hygiene precautions, your dog or cat brings many benefits that compensate for the extra attention they will require. Did you know that the purring of cats has important benefits for your health? And these are likely to be even more pronounced during pregnancy.

You'll notice that during pregnancy you're not only more perceptive to sounds, emotions and sensations, but your connection with your pets can be profoundly heightened, and among the signs of feline communication, purring is probably one you'll understand like never before. This sound is emitted by the cat in the form of vibrations between 20 and 140 Hz, and is designed to generate well-being, communicating peace and balance. This is why they produce this sound when they are placid and grateful, usually for petting, as it means ‘don't stop petting me, and I'll keep purring’.

It has been shown that the perception of purring calms and helps people suffering from both mental health problems and physical ailments to feel a certain comfort when perceiving these waves. In the midst of pregnancy, with the senses at their height, the connection with your cat will be intensified.

PREGNANCY AND TOXOPLASMOSIS

Toxoplasma gondii infection affects warm-blooded animals all over the world. It is an obligate intracellular parasite and felines are its only definitive hosts.

What does this mean? They are the only ones that eliminate eggs (oocysts) by shedding them into the environment as a source of dissemination, which does not imply that they are the only source of infection for us.

Cats become infected by eating raw meat or ingesting oocysts (eggs) shed by other cats in the environment and will develop an infection, in most cases subclinical, i.e. they will not show symptoms and will pass the infection on, developing antibodies that protect them against future reinfection. During this stage, cats, although symptom-free, shed infective oocysts (eggs) in their faeces for 10-15 days.

The oocysts (eggs) released through the cat's faeces are ingested by intermediate hosts (cattle, goats, sheep, etc.), passing into their bloodstream and reaching tissues such as the nervous system, muscles and viscera, where they produce cysts. Only in immunocompromised individuals would the disease develop. Individuals with a competent immune system will develop antibodies to the disease and show no symptoms.

Toxoplasmosis in humans does not cause symptoms except in immunocompromised individuals or pregnant women, in whom it can lead to foetal malformations or miscarriage.

The most important form of transmission of Toxoplasma to humans is NOT by ingestion of the oocysts (eggs) eliminated in the cat's faeces, but by ingestion of the cysts that have formed in the organs or muscles of the intermediate hosts (cattle, pigs,...), or by ingesting oocysts (eggs) in poorly washed raw vegetables.

It is practically impossible for your cat to infect you with Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, because:

1. Most women (60-70%) have antibodies to Toxoplasma, regardless of whether or not they have a cat, because they have had contact with the parasite at some point in their lives. Therefore, if your doctor, when testing you, tells you that you have antibodies, you CANNOT contract the disease.
   
   
2. Most cats are seropositive, i.e. they have antibodies to Toxoplasma, so they cannot get it again.
   
   
3. Cats that become infected with Toxoplasma can ONLY shed infected eggs for 10-15 days in their lifetime. If your cat is seronegative (has not passed the infection), eats formulated feed (no raw meat) and does not go outdoors where it can come into contact with other cats, it is virtually impossible for it to contract it and just during your pregnancy for it to spread.
   
   
4. Oocysts (eggs) need at least 24 hours at room temperature to become infective. If the faeces are removed daily, this will not happen.

As you can see, the chances that your cat could be a source of Toxoplasmosis during your pregnancy are practically non-existent, since it must happen at the same time, that you are seronegative, that your cat is also seronegative, that during pregnancy he gets the disease and that the faeces are long enough in the litter box to become infective eggs.

DO I HAVE TO GET RID OF MY CAT IF I AM PREGNANT?

No. You don't have to if you follow the prevention guidelines below. It is very old thinking that you have to get rid of your cat when its owner is pregnant.

PRECAUTIONS IF YOU ARE PREGNANT AND HAVE A CAT AT HOME

Prevention for pregnant women is the same whether you have a cat at home or not:

1. Avoid raw or undercooked meat foods, as they may contain the cysts.
   
   
2. Avoid poorly washed vegetables, which may contain infective oocysts (eggs).
   
   
3. If you are seronegative and want to be reassured, see your vet. With just a few drops of your feline's blood, we can find out if he has antibodies and therefore know the real chances of transmitting the disease to you.
   
   
4. Remove your cat's faeces from its litter tray every day, or have someone else do it for you. This way there is no chance of the eggs becoming infective. If you want to add extra safety, you can wear a mask and disposable gloves.
   
   
5. You can pet your cat with peace of mind. The oocysts come out in the faeces, they are not in the fur. Your cat is neat enough to groom himself daily to keep himself clean.
   
   

CONCLUSION

Many cat owners get rid of their cats or abandon them when they find out they are pregnant for fear of losing their future baby. Some doctors prefer to be on the safe side and recommend that women do not live with a cat during pregnancy, when, as we have seen, this is not necessary.