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Cat Toxoplasmosis: Prevention for Cats and Humans

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.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that the Toxoplasma parasite may infect as many as 60 million people in the United States. Worldwide estimates are that up to 80 percent of some areas of the world may have it. Toxoplasmosis symptoms, however, are relatively rare, causing few people to seek treatment. Cats that are infected may or may not show signs of the disease.

In underdeveloped countries, walking on infected soil with unprotected feet is a factor. For the most part, though, the primary risk factor is from eating undercooked or raw meat.

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.

Wash your hands, cutting boards, utensils, and sink with soap and warm water.

Make sure you wash all raw fruits and vegetables 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.

While outdoors, avoid sandboxes as cats may use them as litter boxes.

Wear gloves while gardening or working with soil. Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose and wash your hands when finished.

Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk products, especially goat's milk.

Here are a few things you can do to keep your cat from contracting toxoplasmosis.

Do not feed your cat raw or undercooked meat.

Make your cat an indoor cat to prevent her from hunting birds or rodents that might be carrying the disease.

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

Article Source: http://www.articleadventure.com

Kurt Schmitt is an avid cat lover and publishes information on cat health including a more complete list of the symptoms of toxoplasmosis and other feline health problems.

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