Cats apparently initially acquire it if they eat raw meat, although
they can (less common) acquire it in utero - Once they acquire it by
eating raw meat - then it goes to the litter box. But I could not
find that other cats acquire it from the litter box. Perhaps so, I
just couldn't find it. At any rate, if your cat has never been an
outdoor hunter, well, that's good.
From the Cornell site, "...Cats acquire Toxoplasma infection by
eating any of the three infective stages of the parasite: cyst,
oocyst, or tachyzoite. Following ingestion of cysts in infected prey
(rodents or birds), the intraintestinal infection cycle begins. This
cycle occurs only in members of the cat family. The organisms
multiply in the wall of the small intestine and produce oocysts,
which are then excreted in great numbers in the feces for two to
three weeks. Within five days the shed oocysts may sporulate,
becoming infectious to other animals and to humans. Sporulated
oocysts are highly resistant to environmental conditions and can
survive in moist shaded soil or sand for many months.
...
Ingestion of tissue cysts in infected prey or in other raw meat is
probably the most common route by which cats are exposed to
Toxoplasma. Congenital infection (transmission from mother to fetus)
occurs in sheep, goats, and humans, but is much less common in cats.
On Jun 14, 2005, at 5:46 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Also from sharing litterboxes-- it is passed in feces.
Michelle
In a message dated 6/14/05 5:24:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
And, as I recall, cats can only get the parasite that causes toxo by
eating raw meat - such as outdoor cats eating mice.
Gloria
