A Cure for the Common Concern: Cat Litter

When we get pregnant, all of a sudden everything seems dangerous. We are warned about hard-boiling our babies in hot baths, changing cat litter, eating too much fish, and the perils of peanut butter. But how much of that is true and where do the myths come from? In this segment, I will outline a specific common concern and then share pertinent information from reliable sources to help you make your own informed decision about the various risk.

Concern: If you change your own cat litter, the baby will be deformed. 
Here's the deal with this one - if you can get a free pass on this unpleasant chore for the next nine months, why in the world would you want to dispute it? I'm certainly not going to cue my husband into the fact that the issue is mostly specific to outdoor cats and direct contact with their fecal matter. But, for all those single ladies out there - not having an in-house-cat-litter-cleaner to do this task for you, fear not, it's not the end of the world. It does not mean your baby is going to be deformed.

Here are the facts:

• The worry here is that you can contract toxoplasmosis - however, you can also get this from soil, undercooked meat, and un-pasturized milk (among other things). 
• According to the CDC, "People are more likely to get toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat or gardening than from contact with pet cats."

• As it pertains to dear Fluffy, this disease comes from raw meat and is most likely contracted when your cat comes in contact with another infected animal - for instance, if he kills a bird or bites into a mouse in the bushes. If he is an indoor cat, your risk decreases significantly. 

Here are some more tips from the CDC on how to minimize your risk.

• Risk may be reduced if the litter box is changed every day.
• Keep cats indoors.
• Avoid adopting or handling stray cats.
• Feed cats only canned or dried commercial cat food, never undercooked or raw meat.
• Do not bring a new cat into your house that might have been an outdoor cat or might have been fed raw meat.

According to a publication by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, "Cats kept indoors that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat are not likely to be infected with T. gondii." 

Well, it makes sense, right? 

Of course, they are also quick to specify that "Pregnant women, and persons with suppressed immune systems, should not clean the litter box."

Okay, got it. But not everyone has that luxury, so if you are in a situation where you have to clean the litter box yourself here are a few tips to minimize your risk:

• Clean the litter box every 24-hours. (It takes 48 hours for the toxic spores to become infectious).
• Wear gloves when you clean the box and wash your hands thoroughly in hot water and soap afterwards.
• Clean the box out with scalding hot water. (Chemical disinfectants aren't effective against T. gondii). 

My cat is 12 years old and has never been outside so this is one of those concerns that I will choose not to worry about. Living where we do (in Italy), I am more likely to catch this disease from the un-pasturized milk or eggs they sell at our local market. Awesome. That said, I'm still going to let my hubby do the cat litter. I'll take my breaks where I can get them these days. 

Click here for more info from the Center for Disease Control.