Can A Cat Get Toxoplasmosis From Sniffing (possibly Touching) Cat Poop?

[fufpaw]

While walking with my cat on a leash she started sniffing something intensely, and to my horror I saw that it looked like cat poop. There do seem to be stray cats in the neighborhood. When she sniffs things, she seems to touch her nose to it. and you know how cats lick their noses. Is it possible she could have gotten toxoplasmosis if indeed it was an infected cat poop!?

Edit: Wow I just read that the cats only shed toxo for a few weeks after infection, so it seems unlikely that a random turd would have it, unless cats can get infected over and over which does seem like they would considering the life cycle of the disease. Can they get infected multiple times?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Well...I did find that there are two forms, chronic and acute. And that it can be acquired by actually ingesting feces. I'd say that the chance of getting it strictly through sniffing and licking (even if your cat's nose touched the item in question) is reasonably small. I could NOT find any data on reinfections, and I read through several articles. It may be out there, but I didn't see it! I think you are probably safe.

That said, almost all cats bury their feces. This is instinctive, even more so with ferals, who don't want to leave evidence behind for predators. Most likely what you saw was from a small dog.

 

[fufpaw]

OMG *smacks palm to forehead* they do bury it don't they. Thank you so much for helping in my quest for information <3

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL...and I hadn't thought of it until the moment I keyed it in! Sometimes the simplest things are overlooked in our concern for our kittehs.