Although most of this seems sensible, some people might take it to the extreme and go to unreasonable lengths to be careful. This is exactly what happened when one overly concerned mom tried interfering during her daughter’s pregnancy and attempted to kick out her roommate’s cat. More info: Reddit
From all the possible risks that a pregnant person could face, getting an infection from a pet cat is the least likely
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The 22-year-old poster explained that she had been living alone in an apartment with her pet cat and that she also used to foster and volunteer with the local cat rescue organization
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Recently, her best friend, Kristy, moved in with her because she could no longer stay with her toxic mom and stepdad, and the poster was more than willing to help
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A little while after moving in, Kristy learned she was pregnant, and her mom came over and began causing drama, saying that the poster’s cat needed to go as it could affect Kristy’s health
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The poster refused to get rid of her cat and suggested she’d keep the cat’s litter boxes and foster kittens away from Kristy, but the mom didn’t back down and called her selfish
The poster very generously helped her best friend Kristy with a space to live in and made sure that she was safe from her toxic mom and stepdad. It was only when the other woman got pregnant that any problem actually arose. Kristy said that she and her boyfriend were planning to get their own place soon, after which she’d move out, but until then, she’d live with the OP. This proved to be an issue when Kristy’s mom suddenly turned up and asked the poster to get rid of her pet cat. The mother felt that having a feline around would increase the risk of her daughter getting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. It is an infection involving a parasite that can be passed onto the baby if the pregnant mother gets infected. The incidence of a toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy in the United States is estimated to be just between 0.2-1.0%. Although it’s not something to be taken lightly and can cause serious health issues for the baby after birth, being around a pet cat is not what leads to the infection. People can get it by touching stray cats or by eating raw meat or unwashed fruits and vegetables. The OP knew that her pet cat did not actually pose a health risk to Kristy. Just to be on the safe side, she said that she would keep the cat’s litter boxes clean, limit how much she fostered, and do everything in her power to make sure Kristy had minimal contact with any felines. All of this still did not satisfy the mom. Share icon Image credits: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA / Pexels (not the actual photo) The poster felt confused about what exactly to do to satisfy Kristy and her mom because she had given ample suggestions, and all had been vetoed. Netizens told her that the mom was probably creating such a hassle to convince her daughter to move back home during her pregnancy. They also said that Kristy needed to take care of her own health and that it wasn’t the OP’s responsibility. Toxoplasmosis is no joke and can seriously affect a person’s and baby’s health. That’s why if someone is concerned about the risk of infection, they need to take matters into their own hands and keep themselves safe. Here are some tips to do that, according to experts:
Give someone else the responsibility of cleaning a feline’s litter box during pregnancy.Wear gloves and wash your hands well if you have to clean the litter box yourself.Don’t play with stray cats or kittens.Wear gloves while gardening and wash your hands with soap and water after.Cook all meat and seafood well.
Luckily, Kristy and the OP made up and decided to put the situation behind them. It’s also great that her mom was banned from their house, especially after her crazy behavior and accusations. She obviously had devious intentions and wanted to pit both roommates against each other. How would you have handled this situation if you were the OP? Tell us in the comments.
People sided with the poster, saying that her pet cat could cause no harm to Kristy and that her mom was only trying to stir up drama
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