3 ms·
"No risk" seems a bit strong here. (Or maybe I'm just paranoid. But I was definitely in charge of the litter box when my wife was pregnant). Could an indoor ca
by Steuard 10y ago
"No risk" seems a bit strong here. (Or maybe I'm just paranoid. But I was definitely in charge of the litter box when my wife was pregnant).
Could an indoor cat who has at some point shared a litter box with an outdoor cat have picked up spores (in the same way that a human might), for instance? Or, my cats were rescued as young kittens after their (stray) mother died: were they in the wild long enough to be exposed? (And how many cats adopted in the US have similar histories that their owners might not even have heard about?)
- cowpewter 10y agoCats exposed to toxo have finished shedding it after two weeks. If your cat has not been exposed to the outdoors or an indoor/outdoor cat in over two weeks, they are pretty darn safe. Maybe give it a month or two if you want to be extra sure.
- openasocket 10y agoI would never want to risk it because I've seen the damage it can do. My family fosters kitten litters with a nearby animal shelter. It's normally fun and rewarding work, but we once lost an entire litter to toxoplasmosis. It;s generally harmless to people and cats, but in young kittens who don't have very strong immune systems it becomes a degenerative neurological disease. The vets initially thought it was rabies from the symptoms: lethargy progressing to a loss of motor control. We had to clean the room we kept them in with bleach, wash all the cushions and blankets thoroughly, throw out all the cat toys... I don't know what Toxo does to fetuses and infants, but based on what it does to kittens I'm not keen on finding out.
- woliveirajr 10y agoSerious neurological problems or abortion in fetus. In adults is generally harmless, except some cases with loss of vision and so on.