Cats are popular pets in the United States. According to the latest version of the U.S. Pet ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2002 Edition) there were nearly 70 million pet cats in the United States. Because cats are so popular? There are so many answers to this question, there are cat owners, but the low health risks are the cats to their owners is certainly near the top of this list. While the potential health risks cats pose little people, it is importantcat owners who are aware of these risks are and understand how to reduce them.
Most of all the risks of ownership with the cat litter and / or cat feces connected. There are two categories of risk. The first category contains health risks from bacteria and parasites, both cats and owners put their cats. The second category includes injuries caused by automatic self-cleaning litter or litter.
In particular, the health problems experienced by catOwners or their cats come from the first category and the most significant of these risks is called Toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a tiny parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which can be found in raw or undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, dirty cat litter boxes and outdoor soil where cat feces can be found can be caused. Can be infected with Toxoplasma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of over 60 million people in the U.S.Parasite (1). Fortunately, very few people ever experience symptoms because the immune system of a healthy person usually keeps the parasite to cause disease. However, pregnant women and people, the immune system, for example, have compromised as people infected with HIV, at risk and must take precautions to avoid being infected by the parasite. Can for the people in this group a Toxoplasma infection can cause serious health problems for the individual or for a pregnant womanunborn child.
Even here, most of the 60 million Americans infected with the toxoplasmosis parasite never any symptoms. Most of these symptoms do not only think they have the flu, common symptoms such as swollen glands, fever, headache, muscle aches, or include a stiff neck. For those in the high risk group of toxoplasmosis can damage the brain, eyes and internal organs. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, children born with whichToxoplasma gondii can suffer from deafness, mental retardation, blindness, and some children, the development of the brain or eye problems years after birth (2). The CDC estimates that 400-4000 fetuses are infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, die each year and as many as 80 children a year from toxoplasmosis (2).
How does an individual contract Toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by ingestion of the parasite Toxoplasma Gondi. Most cat owners are infected with theParasite by accidentally ingesting infected cat feces. This occurs when a person touches the mouth after handling a cat litter box, working in the garden or sand box or other contact who came into contact with cat feces (3).
People of high-risk group may wonder whether they should give up their cat to avoid infection. According to the CDC, there is no need for cat lovers know that their cats, but it is important for them to protect themselves from infection. TheUSFDA makes the following recommendations for the prevention of infections (2):
1) If you can change someone else's litter. If you wear disposable gloves and clean and wash, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water.
2) Change the litter every day. The parasite is only one to five days are contagious for the faeces deposited in the litter.
3) Wear gloves when gardening in a garden or handling sand in a sandbox because cats haveexcreted in faeces them. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and hot water.
4) Cover outdoor sandboxes to prevent cats for as bedding.
5) Feed your cat commercial dry food or canned. Do not feed your cat raw meat because it can be a source of toxoplasmosis gondii parasite.
6) Keep indoor cats indoors. Be especially careful if you bring outdoor cats indoors.
7) Avoid stray cats, especially kittens.
8) Do not let a new cat whilepregnant.
Safer Child, Inc. provides the following additional recommendations (4):
1) Have your veterinarian test your cat for the Toxoplasmosis parasite. If you cat is infected, you might decide to someone else your cat during pregnancy.
2) Keep sandboxes covered to prevent cats to use sandboxes as litter.
3) Be aware of neighborhood sandboxes as a parasite can be brought home her shoes, clothes and toys.
Similar to Toxoplasmosis,Escherichia coli (commonly called E. coli) can infect humans through contact with cat feces, although the primary means of infection or by eating raw or undercooked. E. Coli is a bacterium found in intestines of humans and animals. Almost all strains of bacteria are harmless. But a few strains can produce powerful toxins and cause serious diseases, especially in children under 5 years (5). Symptoms usually diarrhea and abdominal painCramps. In children under 5 years, 2% -7% of cases of E. coli lead to kidney failure. Fortunately, E. coli is easy to prevent. With the preventive measures mentioned above for Toxoplasmosis will greatly reduce the risks of you or your children's party, the infection by E. coli.
In addition to these risks to humans, there are few health risks cat litter boxes actually, cats, cat owners should be aware of. Just like a dirty litter box poses health risks to humans, cats are equallyRisk if forced to use a dirty litter box. Why do cats lick you clean, you can get a litter box to get dirty when they cause infections paws clean after using the dirty cat litter box. The most common infection is a urinary tract infection, and although this type of infection is rarely fatal, can be very uncomfortable for your cat and will most likely treatment by a veterinarian.
Finally, a less well-known threat to the health of cats actuallycaused by cat litter themselves. What many cat owners do not know, is that some types of cat litter can be harmful or even fatal to their cat. Aggregation and aggregation both litters are health problems for cats. Litter aggregation are probably the most popular type of cat litter because of their convenience, hygienic qualities and the fact that litters aggregation for use in self-cleaning litter box are required. Unfortunately, some aggregation litters be harmful to cats. Ton-basedLitters can contain aggregate mineral sodium bentonite, which can be harmful or fatal to your cat. It 'best to avoid, with clay-based cat litter, especially puppies. Wheat or corn based litters Swheat aggregation as Scoop, the world's best cat litter and working cat litter LITTERMAID very well and are not toxic (6).
By their very nature, does not clump litters do not absorb and isolate, to make a cat urine or feces as litters aggregation. Consequently, it is very difficult to maintainTheir litter box clean when using non-clumping litter. When using non-clumping litter it is important to regularly clean and disinfect the litter box itself to reduce the possibility of armor that bacterial infections of the urinary tract or other can reduce lead in your cat.
The second category of health risks covers damage caused by automatic or self cleaning litter box litter. The occurrence of such accidents are rare but can happen to them. A self-cleaning litter box automatic ordoes what its name. Usually between 10-15 minutes after a cat uses the litter box, litter box that cleans by "sweeping" or "rake" the cat waste in a closed compartment or handbag. For cat owners, injured when a baby or small child plays with the automatic litter occur during the cleaning cycle. All major brands of litter boxes contain sensors to prevent the automatic cleaning mechanism from activating when a cat or otherForeign objects inside the box. However, children can still hurt when he put his hand in the cleaning mechanism so that the sensors can be avoided.
Although these types of injuries are very rare, it is better to take precautions. Place the litter in a place where your cat can get, but small children can not be a simple method. This is good advice for any litter box as this is the best way to keep children from contracting diseases describedearlier in this article. If you can not keep the window automatic waste away from a child then it is better to put the litter in a litter coverage. There are many types of covers, and all of them will prevent children from reaching the litter and the cleaning mechanism. A final option is to unplug the litter box or put it in a "manual" mode. Both options must start with the cat owner for the cleaning cycle when required.This reduces some of the convenience of an automatic litter box eliminates certainly the danger to children.
Automatic self-cleaning litter box, or are completely safe for almost all cats. However, most manufacturers recommend that the litter be used in "manual" for cats under 5 pounds. Cats under 5 pounds is not a lot to be large enough to activate the sensors and the cleaning mechanism could cause injury. Since most adult cats weigh over 5 kg, is onlymust use the "manual operation" mode until kittens grow to 5 pounds.
This article is not intended to dissuade anyone from owning a cat. 70 million cat owners can not be wrong, cats make great pets! So if you already have a cat or are thinking of a cat owner that simply makes sense to be aware, the health risks associated with cat ownership. Understanding the risks can definitely increase the enjoyment of property cat.
(1) Data Toxoplasmosis;http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm
(2), during pregnancy - USFDA
[Http: / / www.cfsan.fda.gov/ ~ pregnant / whiltoxo.html]
(3) Toxoplasmosis - an important message for owners of cats [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/toxoplasmosis_brochure_8.2004.pdf]
(4) Safer Child, Inc.;
http://www.saferchild.org/pets&.htm
(5) Escherichia coli O157: H7 FactSheet;
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/escherichiacoli_g.htm
(6) Stanford Cat Network - Help for your cat or kitten Suppose care;
http://www.stanford.edu/group/CATNET/articles/careguide.html # litter
