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A broken heart shatters Into many pieces And those pieces Tell no lies. An unspent eternity coagulates And clogs the soul And it's the soul That has your eyes. Unfinished clocks And unfurnished rooms Stand like guards Against better judgment. 

Cats are the most popular pets in the United States. According to the latest version of the U.S. pet ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2002 Edition) there were almost 70 million pet cats in the United States. Why are cats so popular? There are so many answers to this question, because it is a cat owner, but the low health risks cats pose to their owners certainly near the top of this list. Although the potential health risks cats pose little people, it is important that cat owners are aware of these risks and how to reduce them. The majority of all the risks of cat keeping with the litter box and / or cat feces combined. There are two categories of risks. The first category contains health risks from bacteria and parasites both cat owners and their cats made. The second category includes injuries caused by an automatic litter box or self cleaning litter box. experienced are primarily the health problems of cat owners or their dogs from the first category and the most significant of these risks is called Toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a tiny parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which are found in raw or undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, dirty cat litter boxes and outdoor soil where cat feces can cause can be found. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 60 million people in the United States may, with the Toxoplasma parasite (1) are infected. Fortunately, very few people have ever experienced any symptoms because a healthy person's immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. However, pregnant women and people, the immune system, have compromised such as people infected with the HIV virus, endangered, and should take precautions to not become infected by the parasite. For the people in this group a Toxoplasma infection could cause serious health problems for the individual or a pregnant woman to unborn child. Also, most of the 60 million plus Americans infected with Toxoplasmosis parasite will never have any symptoms. Most of those symptoms do just think they have the flu and include the most common symptoms swollen glands, fever, headache, muscle pain, or a stiff neck. For those in the groups with high risk of toxoplasmosis can damage the brain, eyes and internal organs. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, children born with Toxoplasma gondii from hearing loss, mental retardation, blindness, and some children suffer with the development of the brain or eye problems years after birth (2). The CDC estimates that 400-4000 fetuses with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite each year and are more than 80 infants die each year toxoplasmosis (2). How does an individual contract Toxoplasmosis? A Toxoplasmosis infection is through the inclusion of the parasite Toxoplasma Gondi caused. Most cat owners are infected with the parasite ingestion of accidentally infected cat feces. This occurs when a person touches the mouth after handling a cat litter box, work in the garden or sand box or touching anything that has come into contact with cat feces (3). People in high risk group may wonder whether or not they should give up their cat to avoid infection. According to the CDC, it is not for cat lovers that they needed their cats, but it is for them to protect themselves from infection. The USFDA makes the following recommendations to prevent infections (2): 1) if possible to edit someone else's litter box. If you clean, wear gloves and wash, rinse your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. 2) Change the litter box daily. The parasite is infectious until 1-5 days after the faeces are deposited in the litter box. 3) Wear gloves when gardening in a garden or handling sand from a sandbox because cats have excreted feces in them. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water afterwards. 4) Cover outdoor sandboxes for cats to prevent them as litter boxes. 5) Feed your cat commercial dry or canned food. Never feed your cat raw meat because they can be a source of toxoplasma gondii parasite. 6) Keep indoor cats indoors. Be especially careful when you bring outdoor cats in the house. 7) Avoid stray cats, especially kittens. 8) Do not let a new cat while you are pregnant. Safer Child, Inc. provides the following additional recommendations (4): 1) Have your veterinarian test your cat for the Toxoplasmosis parasite. If you cat is infected, you should consider whether to hold someone else your cat during your pregnancy. 2) Keep sandboxes covered to prevent cats from using the sandbox as a litter box. 3) Be aware of neighborhood sandboxes as a parasite can be brought home on shoes, clothing and toys. Similar to Toxoplasmosis, Escherichia coli can (E. coli commonly called) infect humans through contact with cat faeces, although the primary means of infection by eating raw or undercooked meat or. E. coli is a bacterium commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Almost all strains of the bacteria are harmless. But some strains can produce powerful toxins and cause severe illness, especially in children under 5 years (5). Symptoms usually include diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In children under 5 years may be 2% -7% of E. coli cases lead to kidney failure. Fortunately, E. coli is to prevent easy. With the preventive measures that will significantly above for toxoplasmosis reduces the risks of you or your children contracting an E. coli infection described. In addition to these human risks, there are a few health risks cat litter boxes actually pose to cats that cat owners should be aware of. Just as a dirty litter box poses health risks to humans, cats are equally at risk if forced to use a dirty litter box. Since cats stay clean by licking, so that a dirty litter box too much, can cause infections when a cat cleans it's paws after using the dirty litter box. The most common infection is an infection of the urinary tract, and although this type of infection is rarely fatal it can be very uncomfortable for your cat and will most likely treatment by a veterinarian. Finally, a lesser-known threat to the health of cats is actually caused by cat litter themselves. What many cat owners do not know is that some types of cat litter can be harmful or even fatal, her cat. Both clumping and non clumping litters make health problems to cats. Clumping cat litters are probably the most popular type of cat litter because of their convenience, hygienic qualities and the fact that clumping litters for use in self-cleaning litter box are required. Unfortunately, some can be harmful clumping litters cats. Clay based clumping litters can contain the mineral sodium bentonite, which is dangerous or deadly, your cat can. It is best to avoid using clay based cat litter, especially with kittens. Wheat or corn based clumping litters such as Swheat Scoop, World's Best Cat Litter and Littermaid cat litter work very well and are non-toxic (6). By its very nature, not absorb without clumping litters and not isolate a cat's urine or feces like clumping litters do. As a result, it is much harder to clean your litter box when using non-clumping litter. When using non-clumping litter it is important to frequently clean and disinfect the litter box itself to reduce the chance of bacterial buildups that urinary or other infections can cause your cat. The second category of health risks covers injuries caused by an automatic litter box or self cleaning litter box. Support for these types of injuries are rare but can happen to them. An automatic or self-cleaning litter box is not exactly what its name implies. Usually between 10-15 minutes after a cat uses the litter box, litter box that cleans itself by "sweeping" or "side light" the cat waste in a sealed compartment or bag. For cat owners, injuries can occur when a small child or toddler plays with the automatic litter box during the cleaning process. All major brands of automatic litter boxes contain sensors to activate the cleaning mechanism, if a cat or other foreign objects to prevent in the box. However, children are hurt when they put their hand inside the cleaning mechanism in such a way as to avoid the sensors. Although these types of injuries are very rare it is best to take precautions. Place the litter box in a place where your cat, but can get small children, can not a simple method. This is good advice for any litter box as this is the best way to keep children from contracting the diseases described above hold in this article. If you can not keep the automatic litter box from a child's reach then it is best to bring the cat in a litter box cover. There are many types of covers and to prevent all of them, a child from reaching the litter box and the cleaning mechanism. A final option is take the litter box or put it into a "manual" mode. Both options require cat owners to start on the cleaning whenever necessary. Although this reduces some of the convenience of an automatic litter box it certainly removes the danger to children. Automatic or self cleaning litter box are completely safe for almost all cats. However, most manufacturers recommend that the litter be used in "manual" mode for cats under 5 lbs. Cats under 5 pounds many not be large enough to activate the sensors and the cleaning mechanism could cause injury. Since most adult cats weigh over 5 kg, it is only necessary to use the "manual operation" mode until grow to £ 5 kittens. This product is not intended to dissuade anyone from owning a cat. 70 million cat owners can not be wrong; cats make great pets! So if you already have a cat or a cat owner it simply makes sense to be aware of the health risks associated with the property, think cat. The understanding of the risks can definitely increase the enjoyment of the cat stance. (1) Toxoplasmosis Fact Sheet, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm (2) while you are pregnant - USFDA [Http: / / www.cfsan.fda.gov/ ~ pregnant / whiltoxo.html] (3) Toxoplasmosis - An important message for cat owners; [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites / toxoplasmosis / toxoplasmosis_brochure_8.2004.pdf] (4) Safer Child, Inc.; http://www.saferchild.org/pets&.htm (5) Escherichia coli O157: H7 Fact Sheet; http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/escherichiacoli_g.htm (6) Stanford Cat Network - a guide for your cat or kitten Adopted care; http://www.stanford.edu/group/CATNET/articles/careguide.html # litter