Random Musings > Where The Wild Things Are
Anyone have any experiences with a cat with FIP?
TimO:
I don't get the "I'm pregnant, so now lets get rid of the cat" thing. I know there's a risk of toxoplasmosis, but that can be avoided with care. In the case of one of my colleagues, simply by getting her boyfriend to do all litter tray duties. ;D
I'm pretty sure that's how Talisker ended up at the Blue Cross, he was brought in by a pregnant woman who had "found" him stray near their house.
He does look like a fine chap, what are you going to call him?
Feline:
--- Quote from: TimO on June 15, 2012, 03:18:32 PM ---I don't get the "I'm pregnant, so now lets get rid of the cat" thing. I know there's a risk of toxoplasmosis, but that can be avoided with care. In the case of one of my colleagues, simply by getting her boyfriend to do all litter tray duties. ;D
I'm pretty sure that's how Talisker ended up at the Blue Cross, he was brought in by a pregnant woman who had "found" him stray near their house.
He does look like a fine chap, what are you going to call him?
--- End quote ---
I get sad about cats being chucked out when their human family is expecting a baby too :( There is a huge amount of ignorance around, sadly some of it started by the medical profession, about how toxoplasmosis is generally caught.
You are much more likely to catch it handling raw meat (combined with poor hygiene techniques in the kitchen) or eating food prepared in a kitchen where someone isn't using correct hygiene techniques. I am often shocked to see even professional chefs touch knife handles and taps with hands they have touched raw meat with and then cross-contaminate the entire workspace. I think as a general rule those of us who clean out cat litter trays on a regular basis are pretty good and thorough at washing our hands well afterwards, and not touching our faces until we have done! The same goes for after gardening, if you wash your hands well after touching soil you will be OK. Countries who have high rates of toxoplasmosis in humans are those who eat raw and/or undercooked lamb, pork and venison as part of their culture (where the rate of antibodies from previous infection is as high as 75%). Countries with high rates of cat ownership like the UK and US do not have high rates of toxoplasmosis infection (exposure levels are around 10%). Worldwide about half the human population has antibodies so have had it at some point without knowing!
It was interesting that I had a negative toxo titre (tested in all of my pregnancies) showing I have never been infected. After a lifetime of working with cats, often sick ones, you would really expect that someone like me would have been exposed at some time or another if it really is that easy to catch from cats. Anyone with a positive titre who gets pregnant is safe since a new infection won't then harm their baby. I didn't throw up my hands in horror and stop working when I was pregnant, I just carried on washing my hands diligently and used it an a great reason to get my ex to clean out the cat's litter tray!
Sadly it is easy to scare pregnant women with horror stories and it doesn't take very much mis-information and prejudice to push them into rejecting a previously well loved family pet. It makes me angry because no one is telling the same women that if they want to be really paranoid then they should stay well out of the kitchen, insist on the use of elbow-operated taps and colour coded chopping boards, only eat cremated meat, do no gardening and definitely never eat out where someone else has cooked the food.
Sergeant Pluck:
--- Quote from: marcusjb on June 14, 2012, 10:32:33 PM ---
--- End quote ---
Lovely markings! I see he has a detachable head / shoulders unit.
TimO:
--- Quote from: Feline on June 15, 2012, 03:52:06 PM ---...lots of sensible stuff about toxoplasmosis and cats...
--- End quote ---
I'd entirely agree with you on all that. My colleague is happily using it as an excuse, and they've recently lost a cat to a car accident, but will be getting another one, since their current cat clearly misses his brother. There's no way they would ever get rid of their extant cat because of the pregnancy.
marcusjb:
--- Quote from: TimO on June 15, 2012, 03:18:32 PM ---He does look like a fine chap, what are you going to call him?
--- End quote ---
Brain-storming going on currently - Lady Chilli Pepper and Sir Scoville worked well. But, now, we need a new name for this chap.
He is currently called Sheru (I am not 100% certain on the spelling!) - which is Punjabi for tiger (as his current family is punjabi-speaking, and he does look like a tiger!) - I kind of like it.
We'll see! Hardest thing ever to decide.
Yes - the whole giving a cat away because of pregnancies etc. is very sad. We're happy to take a slightly older cat (as they must be very hard to give away when there are hundreds of kittens looking for homes) - 8 months seems a good age (Scovie was 9 months when we took him), still plenty young and adventurous but without the need for constant attention like a true kitten. We did discuss kittens - and the idea is very appealing, but I think this chap will fit in just perfectly around here.
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