Accidentally drank from same glass as cat

[thingymaboob]

I am freaked! Visited a friend yesterday and left my glass of squash in one room whilst we had lunch in the other room for a couple of hours. Just before I left I collected my bag from living room and drunk the squash from the glass I left in there. Their two cats had been in and out of there so there's no way of knowing if they drunk from glass. Worried about toxoplasmosis as they lick their bums and paws after being outside. Am I worrying over nothing?

I don't think you're unreasonable or paranoid to be concerned, just naturally careful. I would agree that the risk is low.

Go and see your GP for a blood test if you can't put it out f your head, but be warned that if it comes it positive (very very unlikely) you'll want an amniocentesis, which will be another cause for concern.

By that reasoning you'd catch it off a lettuce.
In fact, I'm pretty sure there's one country in Europe which has salad on its list of banned pregnancy foods.
There was a thread on here once where MNers compared advice from across the world.
Basically, depending on which country you picked, everything was banned, and everything was allowed. For example, I'm in the Netherlands and was allowed coffee and goats cheese, which I think are a no-no in the UK.

@thingymaboob no I wouldn't be overly concerned. I apologise if you took offence, was only trying to be lighthearted and like others have said it will be a looonnng pregnancy to over analyse everything, especially since you say you didn't even see any evidence of a cat drinking out of the glass...

There was a thread on here once where MNers compared advice from across the world

I'd be interested to read that if anyone was about to find it and link it. Not because I'll listen to the advice but just to be nosey at what other countries say.

My drank some of my cup of tea before I had no idea till I choked on a cat hair! Nice I know. Don't worry about it they're not diseased

I'd be interested to read that if anyone was about to find it and link it. Not because I'll listen to the advice but just to be nosey at what other countries say.

Perhaps also bear in mind we have better maternity and infant mortality rates than many other countries (for a number of reasons, including good maternal care).

Oh yeah, high, definitely. I only want to read it to see what other countries think the UK have apparently got wrong in terms of advice. I'm not actually going to take on board any of the advice, I'm just curious.

Thanks for all the replies. I've been so worried about toxoplasmosis through the pregnancy and I've been very careful and I was just very annoyed at myself for making a "mistake". I'm glad most of you think I'm being silly! I always imagine the worst!

With your level of anxiety i would say not to google rates of transmission or get the blood test - you will feel reassured about this incident for 5 seconds and then start worrying the next time you eat a dirty carrot or a piece of slightly pink meat.

I worried about this when I was pregnant. In my case it was because I had done gardening without gloves and then subsequently found some cat poo in my garden.

I became so obsessed with avoiding it that I refused to touch meat packets in supermarkets in case toxo was on the outside of the packet and then I spread it to things which I would eat uncooked such as bread and salad. Needless to say, my baby is completely fine.

The chances of getting it are low. Every time it comes into your head, just take a deep breath and let the worry go.

I think toxoplasmosis is actually quite hard to catch. I've had outdoor cats all my life, eaten rare meat, gardened without gloves, been on a farm with lambs etc and when I was tested in my first pregnancy and again in current pregnancy (live in US so they test for everything) I was negative.

That's not to say don't take sensible precautions, but I figured if I've never caught it previously in my 30 years then I'm unlikely to catch it in this 9 month period where I'm actually aware that it exists and am actively avoiding it.

@thingymaboob have a read of Expecting Better by Emily Oster, it will put you completely at ease about toxoplasmosis and loads of other risks. The chances of catching it from cats is actually minuscule, it's only young cats who are likely to pass it on and only via their poo. Gardening and eating unwashed fruit and veg has a much higher risk.

Queen do you mean to be so obtuse ? I stand by what I said.

@lunch i think you misspelled "compassionate" as "obtuse". Never mind though.

The thread compared advice within Europe mainly. And America/ Australia as that was where most of the MNers lived.
I'll see if I can find it but I'm packing to go on holiday so it won't be until I get there.

Have you never seen harry potter and what happens when cat hair gets in your potion!

Check a mirror for ears and a tail...

There's a significant part of your 4-step process that just wouldn't happen:

3. cat drinks squash

Cats don't drink squash! You will be fine.

magicmoneytree my youngest cat does drink squash but I'm not remotely worried about it. Makes no qualms if I share a drink with my cat, it does get boring drinking water all the time I suppose?

Probably at higher risk of catching something from not washing your hands after you go to the toilet than from a cat.

Well I never!!

You learn something new every day! Cats drinking squash indeed!! What is the world coming to??