Pregnancy does not automatically require rehoming a cat; manage litter, food and soil exposure

Cost: No added cost if another household member changes litter daily. If that is impossible, obtain disposable gloves. Fully cooking meat instead of eating rare steak or lamb can require a change in habits.

In plain language: Toxoplasma is a parasite. A first infection shortly before or during pregnancy can affect the fetus, including miscarriage or eye and brain injury. The source's cited study did not find increased odds from cat ownership itself. It emphasizes undercooked meat, contaminated soil and safe daily litter handling rather than automatically rehoming a cat.

Findings reported by the source: CDC describes fetal transmission after a first maternal infection shortly before or during pregnancy. Many infected babies have no symptoms at birth but may later develop vision or developmental problems; a minority have serious eye or brain injury at birth. NHS describes miscarriage as a possible outcome. A Lyon cohort included 603 infected pregnant women, most treated with antiparasitic medicines. Overall fetal transmission was 29% (95% CI 25–33), around 6% for infection at 13 weeks and 72% at 36 weeks. Earlier infection was more likely to cause symptoms; maternal infection at 24–30 weeks had the highest reported early-symptom risk, around 10%.

A six-city European case-control study reported OR 1.0 (95% CI 0.7–1.5) for cat ownership and 1.3 (0.8–2.1) for litter cleaning, neither showing a statistically clear difference. Undercooked lamb had OR 3.13 (1.4–7.2) and soil contact OR 1.81 (1.2–2.7). Estimated city-specific attributable proportions were 30–63% for undercooked or cured meat and 6–17% for soil contact.

Prevention steps described by the source: Ask someone else to change litter. If doing it yourself, wear disposable gloves and wash with soap and water afterward. Change litter daily because oocysts in cat faeces take one to five days to become infectious. During pregnancy, avoid acquiring a new cat or handling stray cats, especially kittens. Keep the cat indoors and feed commercial cat food or cooked food rather than raw meat. The source cites Chinese CDC guidance supporting keeping a cat with precautions and NHS guidance distinguishing ordinary touching or ownership from exposure to the parasite.

Source author's evidence grade: B; not site verification or professional approval.

Notes: Cats generally shed after their first infection for a limited period; previously infected adult cats are less likely to shed again. Indoor housing and avoiding raw meat reduce opportunities for infection. People without cats can still acquire infection from undercooked meat, unwashed produce, contaminated soil or untreated water. Cook meat thoroughly, wash hands, knives and boards after raw meat, rinse produce under running water and wear gloves for gardening followed by handwashing. The source also cites NHS advice about raw cured meats such as salami or Parma ham and unpasteurized goat milk. The European study did not investigate raw salad or unwashed vegetables in detail, and 14–49% of infections had no identified source. Ask the antenatal clinician about antibody testing. The source gives grade B because the cat-and-meat comparisons come from a retrospective study; no study cited here quantified the infection reduction from following all these measures. Its medium-benefit label is judgment-based and concerns both parent and child.

Original source bibliography (titles retained as supplied): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Toxoplasmosis: Risk Factors. https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/risk-factors/index.html；Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Toxoplasmosis. https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/prevention/index.html；NHS. Toxoplasmosis. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxoplasmosis/；中国疾病预防控制中心 (2025). 孕期弓形虫感染，都是「吸猫」惹的祸吗？ https://www.chinacdc.cn/jkkp/crb/qtcr/202501/t20250103_303681.html；Cook AJ, Gilbert RE, Buffolano W, et al. (2000). Sources of toxoplasma infection in pregnant women: European multicentre case-control study. BMJ, 321(7254), 142-147. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7254.142；Dunn D, Wallon M, Peyron F, Petersen E, Peckham C, Gilbert R (1999). Mother-to-child transmission of toxoplasmosis: risk estimates for clinical counselling. Lancet, 353(9167), 1829-1833. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(98)08220-8