Toxoplasmosis risk increases when cats are fed which of the following?

Toxoplasmosis risk increases when cats are fed which of the following?

• A. Feeding canned cat food
• B. Feeding dry cat food
• C. Feeding raw meat to cats
• D. Feeding raw vegetables

Answer: (C)

Toxoplasmosis risk rises when cats eat raw meat because Toxoplasma gondii forms tissue cysts in undercooked or raw meat. If a cat ingests that meat, it can become infected and may shed the parasite’s oocysts in its feces for a period. Those oocysts contaminate litter boxes, soil, and surfaces, creating a route for humans to acquire the infection through handling contaminated material or contaminated food. Processed canned or dry cat foods are typically cooked or processed in ways that kill the parasite, making them a much lower risk. Raw vegetables could also carry contamination if exposed to contaminated soil, but the most direct and common risk in this scenario is feeding raw meat to cats.

Toxoplasmosis risk rises when cats eat raw meat because Toxoplasma gondii forms tissue cysts in undercooked or raw meat. If a cat ingests that meat, it can become infected and may shed the parasite’s oocysts in its feces for a period. Those oocysts contaminate litter boxes, soil, and surfaces, creating a route for humans to acquire the infection through handling contaminated material or contaminated food. Processed canned or dry cat foods are typically cooked or processed in ways that kill the parasite, making them a much lower risk. Raw vegetables could also carry contamination if exposed to contaminated soil, but the most direct and common risk in this scenario is feeding raw meat to cats.