Toxoplasmosis in Cats

At home, administer any medications prescribed by your veterinarian. Some antibiotics may cause intestinal upset resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. If vomiting and diarrhea occur during the administration of an antibiotic, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

If your pet is receiving trimethoprim-sulfa and pyrimethamine, your veterinarian will ask you to recheck your pet's CBC periodically during treatment to detect whether bone marrow suppression is present or not.

Encourage your pet to eat and drink. Pets that are unwilling to eat or drink should be re-examined immediately. Your veterinarian will schedule a recheck examination and will submit blood to recheck antibody titers after the course of antibiotic administration is completed.

Preventing Cat Exposure

Pet cats should be fed only dry, canned or cooked food. Cats should not be fed uncooked meat, entrails or bones as these tissues may contain toxoplasma cysts.

Take measures to prevent cats from hunting wildlife. Keep them indoors or attach bells to their collars. Secure trash containers to prevent garbage scavenging by cats, and remove the carcasses of rodents or birds before cats can consume them.

Preventing Human Exposure From Cats

Pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals should not clean cat litter boxes and should avoid contact with cat feces and soil where cats may have defecated. If another family member cannot clean the cat litter box, the box should be emptied daily, and cleaned with scalding water once weekly.