Have you ever heard that pregnant women should get rid of cats because of the risk of toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is protozoan parasitic disease that can cause birth defects in a developing human fetus. The disease is spread by the consumption of infective oocysts, or tissue cysts, found in contaminated feces, soil, or raw and undercooked meat. Fortunately for pregnant gals with cats, humans are much more likely to contract the disease by eating raw or undercooked meat than from contact with infected cat feces. It is also comforting to know that infected cats will shed the oocysts for two weeks only -- and the oocysts require at least 24 hours outside the cat's body to become infective.

To eliminate the risk of infection, here are some precautions for pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals:

• Wear gloves while cleaning the litter box, gardening, or handling children's sand boxes in which cats may have defecated.
• Remove feces from the litter box daily.
• Wash your hands after handling the litter box, contaminated soil or sand.
• If possible, delegate litter box cleaning to someone else in the household.
• Keep cats indoors to prevent hunting and the consumption of contaminated meat.
• Avoid feeding unpasteurized milk, raw or undercooked meat to cats.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat.

Clinical signs of toxoplasmosis in cats are vague and nonspecific, including fever, lethargy, depression and weight loss. If you suspect your cat may be infected, it's smart to get your pet checked out by your veterinarian.

"There is a lot of information available now with more detail, including the advice that pregnant women don't have to get rid of their cats," says Dr. Lila Miller, DVM, Veterinary Advisor for the ASPCA. "The most credible and authoritative source would be the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC's website has an extensive description of the disease and precautions to take. It does advise pregnant women not to get a new cat. I think this overstates the risk, but is good advice for other reasons - i.e. adjusting to a new cat and a new baby may overwhelm a new mother. I suggest that interested readers go to CDC's site and search under 'T' for toxoplasmosis in 'Diseases and Conditions.'"