You usually do not need to give up your cat. The practical goal is to avoid swallowing Toxoplasma from contaminated cat feces, soil, water, or food. Ask someone else to clean the litter box; if you must do it, wear disposable gloves, remove feces every day, throw the gloves away, and wash your hands with soap and water. Also cook meat thoroughly, wash produce, use gloves around soil or sand, avoid untreated water, and keep your cat indoors and on commercially prepared food.
Why toxoplasmosis matters during pregnancy
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Infection occurs when a person accidentally swallows the parasite. Possible sources include contaminated cat feces or litter, soil, water, and food. Simply living with a cat or petting one is not itself the usual exposure route. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains transmission and contaminated sources in its causes and spread guidance.
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A person who acquires a new infection during pregnancy, or shortly before pregnancy, can pass it to the fetus. The pregnant person may have no symptoms. An infected baby can look well at birth but develop serious problems later; some newborns have serious eye or brain damage at birth. These are reasons to take prevention seriously, not evidence that every cat-owning household faces the same risk. The CDC does not provide a pregnancy-specific probability that can predict an individual household’s risk. Read the CDC’s current overview of people at increased risk and discuss a personal exposure with a prenatal clinician.
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How infection happens—and what does not count as the usual route
The essential mechanism is ingestion: contaminated material has to get into the mouth. Cat feces can contaminate litter, hands, soil, sand, water, or household surfaces. Food can carry the parasite independently of any cat, particularly when meat is raw or undercooked or when produce has not been washed. This is why a prevention plan has to cover several settings rather than focus only on the litter box.
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Petting your cat, sitting beside it, or sharing a home is not the usual mechanism described by CDC. That distinction can prevent unnecessary fear while still supporting careful hygiene. It also explains why rehoming an existing cat is not the recommended solution: changing the tasks that could lead to swallowing contaminated material is more relevant than avoiding ordinary companionship.
Do you have to give up your cat?
No. An existing cat does not automatically mean you will be exposed, and CDC prevention guidance does not advise rehoming a cat. The important distinction is between ordinary companionship and accidentally ingesting contaminated material. Petting, stroking, or sharing a home with a cat is not the usual mechanism described by CDC.
Risk-reduction steps still matter because an individual cat’s infection history cannot be assumed. Cats that have previously been infected are less likely to shed the parasite, but that is not a guarantee about a particular animal. Keep the cat indoors, do not let it hunt, and feed only commercially prepared dry or canned food rather than raw or undercooked meat.
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During pregnancy, avoid adopting or handling stray cats, especially kittens, and do not bring a new cat into the household. Those steps reduce the chance of caring for an animal that has recently acquired infection or has an unknown history.
You can continue normal affection and routine care while assigning litter duties to someone else when possible. Tell visitors or relatives who help with the cat exactly which task they are taking over, and make the arrangement before a busy day or a period when you are away. The aim is consistent prevention, not isolation from your pet.
The safest litter-box routine
The CDC states that the parasite does not become infectious until 1–5 days after a cat sheds it in feces. Removing feces every day therefore reduces the time available for infectious forms to develop. Daily removal is a timing measure; it is not a reason to handle litter without protection.
Best option: have someone else clean the box
Ask another household member, friend, or caregiver to scoop and empty the litter during pregnancy. This removes the pregnant person’s direct contact with potentially contaminated feces. The person doing the task should still wash their hands afterward and follow ordinary hygiene.
Be specific about what “cleaning” includes: scooping feces, tying and discarding the waste, and dealing with litter that spills around the box. If several people share the home, designate a backup person so the box is not left for days when the primary helper is unavailable. Daily scooping is more protective than postponing the task for a large weekly cleanup.
If you must clean it yourself
- Put on disposable gloves before touching the litter, scoop, liner, or surrounding surfaces.
- Scoop feces every day rather than waiting several days for a larger cleanup.
- Remove the gloves and discard them after the task. Do not reuse disposable gloves.
- Wash your hands immediately with soap and water, including fingers and around the nails.
Keep the litter routine separate from claims about special disinfectants or additives. The specific CDC prevention advice centers on avoiding contact, daily feces removal, gloves, and handwashing. It does not establish that a particular litter product, additive, or cleaning chemical makes a box safe to handle without those precautions.
Keep the scoop and waste bag within reach before putting on gloves, so you do not touch cabinet handles, phones, or food containers mid-task. After removing gloves, avoid touching your face until handwashing is complete. If litter spills, put on fresh gloves, clean it up, discard them, and wash your hands again.
Reduce the chance that your cat acquires infection
Cat-care choices affect whether the animal encounters infected prey or contaminated food. Use this routine:
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- Feed commercially prepared food. Dry and canned cat foods are the options identified in the prevention guidance.
- Never feed raw or undercooked meat. Raw feeding can expose the cat to the parasite.
- Do not handle strays or adopt a new cat during pregnancy. Be particularly cautious around stray kittens, whose health and exposure history are unknown.
- Keep litter responsibilities clear. If another adult can do the job, arrange that in advance rather than relying on an emergency cleanup.
These measures lower opportunities for a cat to become infected; they do not prove that a cat is infected or uninfected. A cat’s appearance cannot establish its status.
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A mature cat that was previously infected is less likely to shed the parasite, according to CDC information, but that population-level observation cannot certify an individual cat. Do not use a healthy appearance, age, or a single past veterinary visit as a substitute for the prevention steps above.
Food safety: prevent a separate and important route
Cat litter is only one possible source. Contaminated food can also transmit Toxoplasma, so pregnancy food preparation deserves its own routine. Someone who never handles litter can still encounter the parasite through food, while careful litter handling does not make undercooked meat safe.
Cook meat with a thermometer
Use a food thermometer rather than judging doneness by color or texture. CDC’s prevention page says, “Cooking meat to the USDA recommended internal temperature is the safest method to prevent infection.” For whole cuts of meat other than poultry, the 2024 CDC guidance lists at least 145°F (63°C), measured in the thickest part. That figure applies to the stated whole-cut category; follow the applicable USDA direction for other meats and preparations.
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Place the thermometer in the thickest portion and check the reading before serving. Do not taste or sample meat before it is cooked. Wash your hands after handling raw meat and clean the thermometer according to its instructions between uses. If more than one type of meat is being prepared, use the temperature guidance that applies to each preparation rather than applying the whole-cut figure to every product.
Prevent cross-contamination
- Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before eating or cutting them.
- Wash utensils, cutting boards, and counters with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item, especially after raw meat.
- Keep ready-to-eat produce and cooked foods away from surfaces or tools used for raw meat until they have been washed.
- Do not drink unpasteurized goat’s milk.
- Avoid raw or undercooked oysters, mussels, and clams.
Wash produce even when it will be peeled or cooked later, because a knife or your hands can transfer contamination from the outside. Set aside a clean cutting board or cleaned work surface for foods that will be eaten without further cooking. Do not sample a sauce containing meat until the meat and any other ingredients have been safely cooked.
These steps address foodborne ingestion independently of whether a cat lives in the home. A household can follow excellent litter precautions and still need ordinary pregnancy food-safety precautions.
Gardening, soil, sand, and water precautions
Outdoor material can be contaminated with cat feces even when you do not own the cat that left it there. Take these precautions:
- Wear gloves when gardening or touching soil or sand that might contain cat feces.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after removing the gloves and finishing the activity.
- Cover outdoor sandboxes when they are not in use so cats are less able to use them as a toilet.
- Avoid untreated water.
Use the same handwashing rule after handling potting soil, garden tools, outdoor toys, or sand. Gloves reduce contact but do not replace washing; contaminated gloves can transfer material to your face, phone, food, or door handles. Remove gloves without touching the dirty outside, discard disposable gloves, and wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
If gardening is part of your normal routine, keep a pair of gloves near the tools and ask another person to handle tasks that involve visibly contaminated soil or animal feces. Children’s sandboxes should be covered whenever they are not being used. Do not assume that soil is safe simply because no cat is visible in the yard.
Match each prevention step to the exposure route
| Possible route | Action | Who should do it | Timing or condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat feces or litter | Have another person scoop; otherwise use disposable gloves, scoop feces, discard gloves, and wash hands | Preferably another household member; the pregnant person only when necessary and protected | Scoop every day because infectious forms can develop 1–5 days after shedding |
| Cat acquiring infection | Keep the cat indoors and feed commercially prepared dry or canned food | Anyone caring for the cat | Throughout pregnancy |
| Raw or undercooked meat | Cook to the applicable USDA temperature; for whole cuts other than poultry, CDC lists at least 145°F (63°C); do not taste before cooking | Anyone preparing food | Every time meat is prepared |
| Produce and kitchen surfaces | Wash produce under running water; wash utensils, boards, and counters with hot, soapy water | Anyone preparing food | Before eating produce and after each food item is prepared |
| Soil or sand | Wear gloves and wash hands; cover outdoor sandboxes | Anyone gardening or handling sand | During and immediately after the activity |
| Water | Avoid untreated water | Everyone in the household | Whenever choosing drinking or food-preparation water |
This route-by-route view helps identify gaps. For example, assigning litter to another adult does not address raw oysters, unwashed vegetables, or a child’s uncovered sandbox. Conversely, excellent food hygiene does not remove the need for gloves and handwashing after unavoidable litter work.
A practical pregnancy checklist
Before pregnancy or early in pregnancy
- Arrange a second person to handle litter-box cleaning.
- Stock disposable gloves for unavoidable litter, gardening, or soil tasks.
- Set up a daily litter-removal schedule rather than an occasional deep-clean schedule.
- Keep the cat indoors and switch away from any raw or undercooked meat diet.
- Place a food thermometer where it will be used during meal preparation.
- Make sure outdoor sandboxes are covered when not in use.
- Tell every household member which person is responsible and who is the backup.
Each day
- Have the designated person remove litter feces.
- Wash hands after litter, soil, sand, raw meat, or outdoor cleanup.
- Use only treated water and commercially prepared cat food.
- Check that the cat remains indoors and cannot hunt.
At every meal-preparation session
- Wash produce under running water.
- Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat food.
- Check meat with a thermometer and never sample it while raw or undercooked.
- Wash preparation tools and counters with hot, soapy water after each food item.
- Keep unpasteurized goat’s milk and raw or undercooked shellfish off the menu.
What to do after a concerning exposure
Contact your prenatal clinician if you handled potentially contaminated litter without protection, ate raw or undercooked food, drank untreated water, or otherwise think you may have been exposed. Also contact a healthcare provider if you develop symptoms that concern you. Toxoplasmosis can cause no symptoms, so feeling well does not establish whether infection occurred.
A healthcare provider may order blood tests when toxoplasmosis is suspected. Testing and interpretation belong with a clinician who knows your pregnancy history and the timing of the event. Do not try to diagnose yourself from a single exposure, and do not assume a test can precisely date when an infection occurred.
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When you call, describe what happened, when it happened, whether gloves or handwashing were used, what food or water was involved, and whether anyone else was exposed. Those details help the clinician decide whether evaluation is appropriate. A single event does not establish that infection occurred, but it is reasonable to ask for individualized advice rather than waiting for symptoms.
If the exposure occurred before you knew you were pregnant, mention both the exposure date and the date of pregnancy confirmation. The concern is a new infection during pregnancy or just before it, and only a clinician can interpret that timing for your circumstances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes to avoid
“I have to rehome my cat.”
CDC prevention guidance does not require giving up an existing cat. Change the tasks and behaviors that create opportunities to swallow contaminated material instead.
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Waiting defeats the timing advantage of daily cleaning. CDC says infectious forms can develop 1–5 days after shedding, so daily removal is the relevant schedule.
“Gloves mean I do not need to wash my hands.”
Gloves can tear, leak, or become contaminated during removal. Discard disposable gloves and wash with soap and water after the task.
“My cat looks healthy, so no precautions are needed.”
A cat’s appearance does not determine whether it has shed the parasite. Indoor living, prepared food, and careful litter handling are preventive measures, not a diagnosis.
“Only the litter box matters.”
Food, soil, sand, and untreated water are also possible sources. A complete plan uses the route-specific actions in this guide.
“A special litter additive will solve the problem.”
The CDC instructions emphasize daily feces removal, gloves, and handwashing. They do not endorse a particular litter additive, disinfectant, medication, or cat test as a replacement for those steps.
Frequently asked questions
Can I clean the litter box while pregnant?
Have someone else do it if possible. If you must clean it, wear disposable gloves, scoop feces daily, discard the gloves, and wash your hands immediately with soap and water.
Is it safe to pet my cat?
Petting or living with a cat is not itself the usual exposure route described by CDC. Avoid swallowing contaminated material and follow the litter, food, soil, sand, and water precautions.
Do I have to give up my cat if I am pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant?
No. CDC educational guidance says you do not have to give up an existing cat. Keep the cat indoors, feed commercially prepared food, and arrange protected litter care.
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Toxoplasma does not become infectious until 1–5 days after a cat sheds it in feces. Daily removal reduces the time available for infectious forms to develop.
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Should I get my cat tested?
The reviewed CDC prevention guidance does not recommend a particular cat test as a substitute for household precautions. Keep the cat indoors, avoid raw food, and use the litter and handwashing routine.
Can I adopt a kitten during pregnancy?
CDC guidance advises avoiding stray cats, especially kittens, and not getting a new cat while pregnant. Wait until after pregnancy to bring a new cat into the household.
What if I forgot gloves once?
Wash your hands with soap and water and contact your prenatal clinician for personal advice, especially if feces, raw food, soil, sand, or untreated water may have entered your mouth. Do not diagnose yourself from the event alone.
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It can cause no symptoms, so feeling well does not rule out infection. If you are concerned about an exposure or symptoms, ask a healthcare provider whether evaluation, including possible blood testing, is appropriate.
Reliable CDC guidance
For the operational steps, see the CDC’s Preventing Toxoplasmosis page, dated January 30, 2024. For pregnancy and other higher-concern situations, see People at Increased Risk for Toxoplasmosis, updated and reviewed February 14, 2025. The CDC’s About Toxoplasmosis page, updated and reviewed March 11, 2025, provides additional disease context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I clean the litter box while pregnant?
Ask someone else to do it when possible. If you must, wear disposable gloves, scoop feces every day, discard the gloves, and wash your hands with soap and water immediately.
Do I have to give up my cat?
No. You usually can keep an existing cat. Keep it indoors, feed commercially prepared food, avoid raw meat, and arrange protected litter care.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIs petting my cat dangerous?
Petting and sharing a home are not the usual exposure routes. The concern is accidentally swallowing contaminated feces, soil, water, or food.
Why must litter be scooped daily?
The parasite generally needs 1–5 days after being shed in feces to become infectious, so daily removal limits that window.
What if I had an unprotected litter exposure?
Wash your hands and contact your prenatal clinician for individualized advice. Do not assume that one exposure proves infection or that no symptoms means no infection.
Can I adopt a kitten during pregnancy?
CDC advises avoiding stray cats, particularly kittens, and not getting a new cat while pregnant.
Does a healthy-looking cat need precautions?
Yes. Appearance does not establish whether a cat has shed the parasite. Indoor living, prepared food, and careful litter handling remain appropriate.
What other precautions matter besides litter?
Cook meat to applicable USDA temperatures, wash produce, clean kitchen tools and counters, avoid unpasteurized goat’s milk and raw or undercooked shellfish, wear gloves for soil or sand, cover sandboxes, and avoid untreated water.
The Bottom Line
Keep your cat, but prevent ingestion. Have someone else scoop the litter; if you cannot, use disposable gloves, remove feces daily, discard the gloves, and wash your hands. Keep the cat indoors and on commercially prepared food, cook meat with a thermometer, wash produce and kitchen surfaces, protect your hands around soil and sand, cover sandboxes, avoid untreated water, and call your prenatal clinician after a concerning exposure.
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