Although humans can contract toxoplasmosis from cats, you are more likely to contract the disease from another human than from your pet. However, if you are pregnant or have a suppressed immune system, a parasite sometimes found in cat feces can cause toxoplasmosis.
Cats become infected either by swallowing the infective stage of the parasite from the environment, from eating infected
animals, or raw meat. So cats are particularly at risk for toxoplasmosis if they are allowed to hunt and eat wild animals.
Toxoplasmosis in cats isn't particularly dangerous to healthy animals or adult people but is very dangerous to unborn babies. That's why it's an excellent idea to have somebody else handle litter box duty when you are pregnant. However, petting your cats and otherwise interacting with them
shouldn't place you at risk for toxoplasmosis during your pregnancy. In fact, most people contract the disease, not from contact with cats, but from eating undercooked meat like hamburgers. There are blood tests available for both you and your cats to see if you've been exposed.
