Feline Toxoplasmosis, You, and Your Cat: Prevention

Preventing toxoplasmosis infection involves some simple precautionary steps for both you and your cat. While there’s no guarantee that you or your cat won’t get it, every step you take may help.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a single-celled parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Both domestic and wild felines are the definitive hosts for T. gondii, which means that the cat is the only animal in which the organism reaches sexual maturity. Both cats and humans may become infected by coming in contact with it.

Statistics show that Toxoplasma may be carried by up to 80 percent of the population in some parts of the world. As many as 60 million Americans may be infected. Patients who display Toxoplasmosis symptoms, however, are relatively rare and may be mild. Few people in otherwise good health seek treatment. Infected cats may not show any signs of the disease.

The primary risk of exposure is from undercooked or raw meat, but there are other risk factors as well. In underdeveloped countries, infected soil is a factor.

Here’s a list of a few of the things you can do to keep your cat and people in your household from contracting toxoplasmosis.

Do not eat undercooked or raw meat. If you touch raw meat, do not touch your face until you’ve cleaned your hands thoroughly.

Ensure that you thoroughly clean your utensils, hands, cutting boards, and sink with soap and warm water after preparing food.

Wash all raw vegetables and fruits thoroughly.

Get someone else to empty the cat litter box. Pregnant women should take special precautions and have someone else on cat box duty.

Have the litter box cleaned every day or more than once per day and get rid of cat feces before it becomes infective.

If you handle the cat box duties yourself, wear a mask and disposable rubber gloves and avoid breathing the dust. Wash your hands after cleaning the box.

Always avoid sandboxes since roaming cats may defecate in them.

Wear gloves when gardening. Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose. Wash your hands when finished.

Do not drink unpasteurized dairy products, especially goat’s milk.

Here are some things you can do to help keep your cat from being exposed to the disease.

Never feed undercooked or raw meat to your cat.

Keep your cat indoors to prevent her from picking up the disease from rodents or birds that may be infected.

Keep your cat inside to prevent it from coming in contact with contaminated soil, plants, or insects.

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