Cats should never kiss: This is especially true for pregnant women
Created: 08/23/2022, 08:30
By: Jasmine Farah
Who doesn't like to get up close and personal with their velvet paw?
This is not only dangerous in Corona times.
Hygiene is important for another reason.
The cat is the German's favorite pet.
According to the industry association for pet supplies, around 16.7 million velvet paws lived in households in this country, compared to 15.7 million in the previous year.
The extreme increase can probably be explained by the corona pandemic.
Many people have been forced to remain in their own four walls due to the lockdowns.
To pass the time, some of them have bought pets such as cats, dogs and the like.
Cats should never kiss: This is especially true for pregnant women
Many cat owners love to snuggle with cats on the sofa while watching TV, play with them, or even let them sleep in their bed at night.
Many find this closeness to their four-legged friend beautiful and is even said to have a positive effect on their psyche.
In Corona times, this certainly makes sense for many people, but it is not hygienic.
Cats love to cuddle in bed with their owners.
But that also has its pitfalls.
© Mikel Bilbao/Imago
This is especially true for moments when you get very close to your furry friends, kiss them or lick them off.
Studies in the past have shown that the mere presence of pets such as cats or dogs increases the diversity of one's own intestinal flora, reports
Stern
.
This in turn strengthens the immune system, but there are also disadvantages of too much contact.
This is especially true for outdoor cats.
You go hunting, stick your furry nose into everything, lick off a lot.
If we later get in touch with them, there is a high risk that they will transmit bacteria, germs, ticks or fleas.
According to science, about three quarters of all human diseases originate from animals.
These infectious diseases are also called “zoonoses”.
Cats better never kiss - or take precautions
In cats, it is usually the so-called toxoplasmosis, one of the most well-known diseases.
It is considered particularly risky for pregnant women, as infection can endanger the health of the unborn child.
The common infectious disease is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma (T.) gondii.
This affects birds and other mammals and finally ends up in the cat, in whose intestines it multiplies.
also read
'I'm dying inside': Woman shares her cat's last 12 hours of life
Walking the cat - nothing for shy animals
Cat Talk: 10 Signs Your Cat Loves You
View photo gallery
But what to do if you can't or don't want to do without cuddling your velvet paw?
Then you should take a few precautionary measures.
This includes:
Regular all-round check of your cat
Quarterly deworming of your cat
Check your cat regularly for ticks and fleas
Regular brushing and washing of the coat
Frequent hand washing
Regular changing and washing of bed linen
If you observe a few hygiene standards, you don't have to worry too much about contracting dangerous pathogens from your velvet paw.
After all, there is nothing better for a close bond than getting up close and personal with your loved ones and being able to be very close to them.