On the question: Is it bad to have cats during pregnancy?, there are many false truths, misinformation, and "tales of old woman".
If we had to pay attention to all the ancient wisdom of our ancestors…, many of us would still believe that the Earth is flat and the Sun revolves around it.
Continue to read carefully this enlightening article on our site, and find out for yourself if…Is it bad to have cats during pregnancy?
The cleanest animals
Cats, without a doubt, are the cleanest pets that can live with people in the same household. This is already a very important point in your favor.
Humans, even the cleanest and most hygienic, are susceptible to infecting each other with very diverse diseases. In the same way, animals, even the cleanest and best cared for, are capable of transmitting acquired diseases to humans through multiple routes. Said like this, it sounds really very bad; but when we explain it in the proper context, that is, in percentage form, the matter becomes clearer.
It's the same as saying that every plane on the planet can crash. Said like that, it really sounds very bad; but if we explain that airplanes are the safest means of transport in the world, we will be reporting a proven scientific reality (despite the fact that the first absurd theory is not denied).
Something similar happens with cats. It is true that they can transmit some diseases; but the reality is that they give people many fewer diseases than other pets, and even far less than the ailments that humans spread to each other.
Toxoplasmosis, the dreaded disease
Toxoplasmosis is a very serious disease that can cause brain damage and blindness in the fetuses of infected pregnant women. Some cats (very few) are carriers of this disease, as are many other pets, farm animals, and other animal and plant matter.
However, toxoplasmosis is a disease that is very difficult to transmit. Specifically, the following are the only possible forms of contagion:
- Only if the animal's feces are handled without gloves.
- Only if the stool exceeds 24 hours since its deposition.
- Only if the feces belong to a cat that is infected (2% of the feline population).
In case the forms of contagion were not restrictive enough; In addition, pregnant women should put their dirty fingers in their mouths, since contagion can only exist by ingesting the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, which is what causes this disease.
In fact, toxoplasmosis is spread mainly by eating infected meat undercooked or raw. They can also be spread by eating lettuce or other vegetables that have been in contact with feces from dogs, cats, or any other animal carrying toxoplasmosis and have not been washed or cooked well before eating them.
Pregnant women and cat hair
Cat hair causes allergies in pregnant women who are allergic to cats. This truism tries to show with a sense of humor that cat hair only causes allergies to women who were allergic before their pregnancy
According to estimates there is a total of 13% to 15% of the population allergic to cats. Within this limited range of allergic people there are different degrees of affectation. From people who only cause a sneeze if a cat is on their lap (the vast majority), to a minority of people who can cause asthma attacks with the simple presence of a cat in the same room.
Obviously, women with a very high degree of allergy to cats, if they become pregnant, will continue to have severe allergy problems to a cat. But no woman who is highly allergic to cats is supposed to decide to live with a cat when she becomes pregnant.
Cats can harm the baby
This silly theory that heads this point is disproved by the multitude of cases in which cats have defended small children, and not so small, from aggression by dogs or other people. It's exactly the opposite: cats, and especially female cats, are very aware of small children, and they worry a lot when the little ones get sick.
There have even been cases in which the cats have been the ones who have warned the mothers of some event that has happened to their babies.
It is true that for cats and dogs the arrival of a baby in the home can cause some confusion for a few hours. In the same way that the arrival of a sibling can cause a similar sensation to the newborn's siblings. But it is a natural and temporary circumstance that soon disappears and family normality returns.
Conclusions
I suppose that after reading this post, you will have come to the conclusion that a cat is absolutely harmless for a pregnant woman.
The only preventive measure that should be taken by a pregnant woman if she has a cat at home, will be refrain from cleaning the cat's litter box without glovesThe husband, wife or any other person in the household must perform this function during the pregnancy period of the expectant mother. But the pregnant woman should also refrain from eating raw meat and will have to wash vegetables for salads very well.
The doctors
It's sad that there are still doctors who advise pregnant women to get rid of their catsThis type of absurd advice is a clear sign that the doctor is not well informed or trained. Because there are many medical studies on toxoplasmosis that affect the contagion vectors of the disease, and cats are one of the most unlikely.
It's like a doctor advising a pregnant woman not to get on a plane, because the plane could crash. Absurd.
