People whose cats spend most of their time outdoors may want to think twice before cleaning their litter box.
Nursing student Christine warned in a TikTok that the box could be infested with the disease toxoplasmosis, which can cause flu-like symptoms and, in rare cases, trigger vision problems and even death.
Although most infected people do not have symptoms, older people and pregnant women are most at risk. And infected fetuses are at increased risk of developing vision problems and developmental delays.
Outdoor cats get the parasite after eating wild animals, such as birds and rodents, and then shed it in their feces. Indoor cats are unlikely to become infected.
People can become infected by cleaning cat litter and getting the microscopic parasite on their hands, but experts say it’s more common to contract toxoplasmosis from unwashed vegetables and dirty food surfaces.
Christine, a nursing student, posted the clip online and said she would now take these precautions while cleaning her cat’s litter.
Posting the clip of herself wearing gloves and a face mask, Christine wrote: “How I clean the litter box now after finding out about toxoplasmosis.”
The clip has gone viral on TikTok and has already been viewed more than 900,000 times and liked by 71,000 people.
Cleveland Clinic guidelines also recommend wearing a mask while cleaning cat litter, but studies suggest the disease cannot be transmitted through the air.
Humans contract the disease by accidentally handling objects contaminated with the pathogen and then touching their mouth, thus introducing the infection.
The disease is usually diagnosed by a blood test to check for antibodies against the disease.
One user commented: “OMG my mom got toxoplasmosis from our kitty’s litter box when she was very pregnant. Literally a parasite.”
And a second added: “Stop! My cat just had babies and is bringing gophers and mice to the front door, but she isn’t eating them. Should I be worried?”
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii and is relatively common in the U.S. (an estimated 40 million people are infected in total).
Many patients have no symptoms, but warning signs include muscle aches, fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.
The immune system is usually able to fight off the parasite, but it can remain in the body for decades inside small sacs called cysts. If the immune system is weakened, these can burst and trigger a new infection.
To treat the infection, health care providers use a combination of antiparasitic medications and antibiotics.
Previously, the CDC advised pregnant women and vulnerable people to avoid contact with cats, but this is no longer the case.
The life cycle of toxoplasmosis is shown above. Cats tend to contract it by eating infected wild animals. They can then shed the parasite in their feces, which can infect humans.
The image above shows an outdoor cat. Experts warn that these felines can contract toxoplasmosis.
Cornell University experts said: ‘Since cats only shed the organism for a short period of time, the chance of human exposure through the cats they live with is relatively small.
‘Having a cat does not mean you will be infected with Toxoplasma.
‘Frequent removal of feces from the litter box, using gloves and washing hands afterwards, minimizes the chance of infection.’
They added: ‘You are unlikely to be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat, because they do not usually carry the parasite on their fur.
You are also unlikely to get infected through cat bites or scratches.
‘In the United States, people are much more likely to get sick from eating raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables than from handling cat feces.’
However, a new infection in a pregnant woman that is passed on to her fetus is a cause for particular concern, experts say.
Babies with the infection may appear normal at birth, but then begin to show signs of the infection months or years later.
These may include vision problems, developmental delays or learning difficulties.