# Why no changing Kitty Litter for Pregnant Women? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698 "2003-05-07T16:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Coda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coda)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/1 "2003-05-07T16:44:39Z")
My eldest daughter is pregnant, she and her husband are expecting in December. Her OBGYN said, no changing the kitty litter while you are pregnant. I just found that out last night, but did not go into it with her because we were talking about names of a boy/girl etc…etc… So does anyone know why women are not supposed to change kitty litter when they are pregnant? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/2 "2003-05-07T16:47:37Z")
From [this article](http://health.yahoo.com/health/pregnancy/pregfaq/toxoplasmosis_during_pregnancy.html): > [@](#): > > Why is it dangerous to change my cat’s litter now that I’m pregnant? Cat feces can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, an infection that isn’t serious for you but can pose a danger to your developing baby. Some birds and other animals, as well as some raw meats, can also carry the parasite. Toxoplasmosis causes most severe damage to the fetus if a woman comes down with it in her first trimester. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/3 "2003-05-07T16:48:45Z")
It’s due to a parasite egg that may be in the cat’s feces that can harm immuno-suppressed individuals and pregnant women. Read more here: [http://www.adoptapet.com/alexandria/tox.html](http://www.adoptapet.com/alexandria/tox.html) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/4 "2003-05-07T16:49:21Z")
Some cats can carry a parasite called toxoplasma, which can be passed through their feces and cause a disease called (appropriately enough) toxoplasmosis. Here’s the CDC fact sheet on toxoplasmosis: [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht\_toxoplasmosis.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/5 "2003-05-07T16:49:41Z")
[http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/toxopasmosis.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/toxopasmosis.htm) > [@](#): > > What is toxoplasmosis ? > > Toxoplasmosis (TOX-so-plaz-MO-sis) is a disease caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. Most people who get toxoplasmosis do not get sick, but some people will get swollen glands, muscle aches and feel as though they have the “flu”. Women who are thinking about becoming pregnant should be especially careful about toxoplasmosis because this disease can infect the fetus and cause a malformation or abortion. > > Can cats transmit toxoplasmosis to me? > > Yes, but not by direct contact with a cat. Toxoplasmosis is passed to people from contaminated cat feces (stool). People can get toxoplasmosis by cleaning kitty litter or touching dirt where cats might have been, including garden soil. Toxoplasmosis can also be passed to people when they eat meat that is not cooked completely, especially pork, lamb, or deer meat. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/6 "2003-05-07T16:50:46Z")
[…as Coda collapses under the weight of simulposted information…] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/7 "2003-05-07T16:57:47Z")
If the kitty is taking Propecia or Thelidamide, be extra careful. And sometimes the kitty will tell the pregnant woman to drink beer. And sometimes they push crack. I hate cats. ---
**Author:** ![Coda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Coda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coda)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/8 "2003-05-07T16:58:26Z")
**Stands up, wipes off, breathes** Whew! Glad I asked. My daughter has two indoor cats, and so hopefully she is at a lesser risk because they are indoor. I think their kitty bin is down in the basement anyway. Good for her anyway, my son-in-law needs to do a little more now that we are expecting MY first grandbaby…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/9 "2003-05-07T17:16:34Z")
Damn right. Kitty litter is strictly daddy’s job, from the “oh look, two blue lines” stage right up until the birth. And maybe for a while afterward! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/10 "2003-05-07T19:37:03Z")
There is a belief that the toxoplasmosis warning is overstated unless you are in the habit of handling the feces with your bare hands. :eek: However, since it concerns children, the feeling is better to warn than to run the risk of trouble. Have someone else clean the litter box, and make sure they wash their hands afterwards. If she needs to do it, she should wash up well. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/11 "2003-05-07T20:31:42Z")
It’s mostly a nefarious plot launched by the wimmin-folk to get back at their husbands. The O.B.'s were bribed by this female conspiracy in order to propagate the lie… Yeah, I’m cleaning that damn box a lot lately, why? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/12 "2003-05-07T21:13:19Z")
Toxoplasma gondii uses mind control to breed! It needs to be in a cat’s guts to reproduce and needs to go from cat to cat to spread. But the way out of the cat is through feces which cats tend to avoid. Rodents aren’t so picky about feces so Toxo has adapted the ability brainwash rodents into to loosing their fear of cats. A fatal change in their natural behavior! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-changing-kitty-litter-for-pregnant-women/173698/13 "2003-05-07T23:09:52Z")
Kitty litter is high on the list of things sea otters need to avoid as well, according to this morning’s paper: [SEA OTTERS: They’re dying because their ocean is polluted - cat scat is one culprit, study says](http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/05/07/MN178297.DTL&type=science)