Friday, May 12, 2006
Pregnant ladies of the world...keep your cat.
We've heard it all when it comes to reasons people give up their pets. Moving, allergies, too much work, not house-trained, doesn't like the other cat, scratching furniture, barking too much, etc.One of the top ten reasons for giving up a cat is "Having a Baby".
This one kills me for personal and professional reasons. You see, I'm pregnant. And yes, I have two cats. And I was pregnant before. And yes, I had those same cats. Did I take ill? No. Did my son take ill? No. Are the babies (yes, babies) healthy as horses? Yes. Oh, and by the way...I work in an animal shelter where there are hundreds of cats.
Did I take necessary precautions in terms of wearing gloves and washing my hands a lot when handling cats? Yes. Do I have the hubby change the litter? Heck, yeah. In fact, I even got tested to see if I was immune to toxoplasmosis (the illness that can be transmitted in feline fecal matter). Despite the fact that I had handled literally thousands of cats, I wasn't immune. I was shocked. But, I was also shocked to learn that getting toxoplasmosis was easier from handling dirt and soil then handling a cat.
And now that I have a toddler and expecting twins, am I giving up my cats because "I don't have time for them anymore?" No. Do they perhaps get a fewer number of head scratches and belly rubs now? Perhaps. But they are happy and healthy and glad to have a home.
And when my grumpy 14-year old female cat doesn't like being harassed by a curious toddler and hisses to show her distain for the situation, will I turn her in because "she is not good with kids?" No. I'll teach my kid that although he can pull on my young male cat's tail all day and night, he can't bug the old gal.
So, pregnant ladies of the world...keep your cat.