Cat and baby: do pregnant women need to get rid of cats?
Quite often, a couple who are waiting for a child begins to look for a new home for their mustache-striped pet. It is believed that pregnancy and the presence of cats in the house are completely incompatible. Experts from the Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology said that this opinion is rather stereotyped; it is not always necessary to rush to get rid of a cat.
The main reasons why a pet goes to good hands are in the woman’s fear of being infected with a dangerous disease from the kitty, as well as fears for the cat’s relationship to the baby, as the cat may scratch or bite the child.
The cat is not as dangerous for the pregnant woman and the baby as most women think, research institutes said.
The main danger lies in the possibility of contracting toxoplasmosis - a disease that is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma. Infection with this infection can lead to the formation of deformities in the child, and can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
Toxoplasma can infect a woman when in contact with feline feces. Required condition - a cat must get sick with a parasitic disease recently.
If the cat is domestic, eating not raw meat, but cat food, then the likelihood of its Toxoplasma tends to zero. Such a kitty does not pose a danger to a pregnant woman, especially since one of the members of the household, and not the woman herself, can change the tray to the pet while the mistress is carrying the child.
Researchers say that in case of doubt, the animal can be taken to a veterinary clinic and can be analyzed for toxoplasmosis. If the cat is healthy, then the expectant mother does not have any reason to get rid of her.
Regarding the four-legged aggression towards infants, it is difficult to predict something, experts say. It all depends on temperament and character of the cat itself.
All animals react painfully to changing life circumstances. If the kitty is benevolent, calm, adequate, not having a tendency to rush to the feet of guests and owners, to scratch, then with a high degree of probability the child will not harm it and may even become a great friend to the crumbs.
If the animal is aggressive and with character, then it is really possible to find a new home for him, but after the birth of the baby, because the reaction of the kitty to the child is difficult to assess if the new member of the family has not yet been born.
Very often, cats become attached to children, and, strange as it sounds, are excellent allergy prevention - children who have grown up with a cat are less likely to suffer from various forms of allergy, since their immunity from an early age adapts to the special proteins contained in the cat's hair bulbs.
From the point of view of child psychologists, communication with an animal is very useful for a child. Children grow up more socially adapted, more sociable and responsible. The ability of cats and dogs to influence the psychological state of children formed the basis of a new treatment method - animal therapy. Contact with animals can positively affect the condition of a sick child and strengthen the psyche and state of health.
