Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite carried by cats with implications for both feline welfare and human public health. Understanding transmission helps manage risks appropriately.
For most cats, toxoplasmosis infection is subclinical and causes no detectable welfare impact. However, some cats develop ocular toxoplasmosis causing uveitis and potentially blindness, or neurological disease with associated welfare impacts. Immunocompromised cats are at risk of severe systemic disease. For the broader population of cats, the zoonotic concern around toxoplasmosis has historically led to misplaced fear and inappropriate relinquishment of cats by pregnant women despite evidence that simple hygiene precautions effectively manage risk. Keeping cats indoors and feeding commercial food reduces feline infection rates and therefore oocyst shedding.