Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite shed by cats, poses health risks to immunocompromised humans and pregnant women, but the associated risk to cats from misdirected control measures is an underrecognised welfare concern.
Welfare concerns arise when toxoplasmosis risk is overstated, leading to unnecessary rehoming or abandonment of cats, particularly from pregnant women who receive misleading advice. The actual risk of human infection from cat contact is very low compared to meat consumption, and good hygiene practices effectively manage the risk without compromising cat welfare. Accurate public health messaging protects both human health and cat welfare simultaneously.