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People love their cats! So it's hard not to hug them and kiss them. This is normally not a problem, unless you're pregnant.Toxoplasmosis is a protozoal parasite that is generally not harmful to healthy adults. Our immune system generates antibodies against it and anyone who has had cats their whole life, like me, probably has a strong immunity developed for this parasite. The trouble comes with immunodeficiency.
A pregnant woman has a lowered immune system. This is nature's way of preventing an abortion of the fetus, as it too is recognized as a foreign invader. The unborn child also has a very low immune response while it is in-utero, otherwise it would be in a constant state of inflammation.
The toxoplasmosis parasite takes advantage of these low states of immunity and can cause brain damage and internal organ damage in an unborn child. Certainly, this is not what someone wants for their new baby. It is actually a rare occurrence, with less than one in three thousand babies being affected by toxoplasmosis, but it is worth taking the easy precautions.
If you are a pregnant woman, or you are immunocompromised by HIV, AIDS, or immuno-suppressive drugs, then take these preventive steps: Let your spouse or someone else clean the cat box. Use rubber gloves, and a face mask, if you are the one who has to clean the litter box. And definitely don't kiss your cat. If you have had cats all your life, you are probably already immune to toxoplasmosis, but while pregnant, still be cautious.
My mother loved to kiss cats, as she was an orphan raised by her aunt and uncle, after her mother died in childbirth and her father was away as a major in the Army. She made her cats her friends in an environment where her much older guardians may not have given her enough love and attention. Even grown though, she loved to lay on the couch, with a favorite kitty hugged up close, her lips pressed close to their cheek. We all can admit the joys of holding and patting our kitties, and for the most part, it is never a problem. I'm sure the cats enjoy the affection too.
Dr. Doug Ikeler http://www.ikelerbooks.com/
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