Immunocompromised and living with her cat

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If you’re immunocompromised, you’re more likely to get infections from your cat, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them! Here are 5 easy ways to minimize your risk.

Millions of Americans have conditions that compromise their immune system. They include diabetes, kidney failure, HIV, autoimmune diseases, organ transplants and cancer. The immune system of an immunocompromised person is weakened either by the disease or by the drugs used to treat it. As a result, they have less ability to fight off opportunistic infections that wouldn’t normally affect healthy people. Some of these infections can be transmitted from cats to humans and are called zoonoses. The most common are intestinal infections caused by salmonella and Campylobacter Or Cryptospiridium bacteria; cat scratch disease, Bartonelle bacteria; and toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii parasite. Two fungal diseases, dermatomycosis (also called ringworm) and sporotrichosis, are also zoonotic and can cause skin infections in humans. Cat bites and scratches also pose a risk of infection.

Does that mean you can’t have a cat if you’re immunocompromised? No way! By following these simple, common-sense guidelines, you can minimize your risk of contracting an infection without having to abandon your feline family members.

Simple precautions

1. Keep your cat indoors.

This minimizes his risk of catching diseases from birds, mice or other animals.

2. Practice safe food handling when feeding your cat.

Whether you feed your cat raw or packaged food, clean all surfaces and utensils that touch food. Do not prepare any other food on the same surface until it has been thoroughly cleaned. Wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling cat food.

3. Clean the litter box carefully.

Your cat’s litter box should be emptied daily. If possible, have someone else do this task. If this is not possible, wear disposable gloves and then wash your hands with soap and warm water. Bernadette DeLamar, a cancer survivor, shares her home with two cats. “I live on my own, so I had to develop strategies to deal with the day-to-day needs of cat care while I was going through chemotherapy,” she says. Bernadette had a good friend drop by once a week to clean the litter boxes. “Between his visits, I put on a mask and rubber gloves and picked up the boxes myself.”

When cleaning the litter box, wear disposable gloves and then wash your hands with soap and warm water.

Cat with claws out

4. Avoid bites and scratches.

Cat bites pose a high risk of infection, even in healthy people. Fortunately, most cats only bite in extreme circumstances. Immunocompromised people should never try to break up a cat fight or handle an injured or frightened cat. Your cat’s claws need to be trimmed to avoid getting scratched. Don’t declaw him! Not only is this inhumane, but cats that have lost their claws will instead turn to biting if they feel the need to defend themselves. “Human health authorities like the CDC and the United States Public Health Services don’t even mention declawing in their comprehensive document on living with pets after an organ transplant,” says Jennifer Conrad, veterinarian Californian and founder of The Paw Project, which aims to abolish the practice of declawing surgery. Kate Benjamin, a breast cancer survivor, has 11 cats. “As a breast cancer survivor now suffering from lymphedema in her right arm and hand, I find myself hyper-vigilant about any cat scratches in the affected area,” she says. Since Kate’s immune system is compromised as a result of lymphedema, any puncture wound poses a serious threat of infection. “I’m careful to keep the cats’ nails trimmed, and if I get scratched, I make sure to clean the wound thoroughly and see a doctor if there’s any sign of infection.”

5. Work in partnership with your veterinarian.

Regular veterinary checkups will ensure your cat stays healthy. Veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Colleran especially recommends that immunocompromised clients have their cats checked regularly for parasites.

Dr. Colleran adds that the most important message for immunocompromised people is not to abandon their kittens. As a cancer survivor herself, she should know. “I didn’t get rid of mine and my oncologist didn’t advise me either. He and I both knew that having something to bring joy to your life, give you purpose and meaning, and that needs to be nurtured, helps you tolerate horrible symptoms, and aids the recovery process.

Bernadette agrees, saying her two cats were her biggest consolation during cancer treatment. She can’t imagine what it would have been like to have this experience without them. “They became little caregivers during the long months when my immune system was compromised,” she says. “When I felt unwell and restless in bed at night, the older cat would climb up and put his paws on my shoulder, put his nose under my chin and purr until I calmed down. The youngest came to lean on my pillow. They had never done these things before!

Hopefully you will never be diagnosed with a disease that compromises your immune system. But if so, know that by taking a few precautions against zoonoses, you can keep your feline friend by your side!



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