Yes, absolutely. Just take smart precautions: Keep your cat indoors and feed them only cooked, commercially processed food. Have someone else scoop the cat litter or invest in a self-cleaning litter box. If needed, schedule an appointment with your OB-GYN and your veterinarian to come up with a plan.

Cats can shed the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in their feces, but only if they're infected. A self-cleaning litter box automatically removes your cat's waste, so you no longer have to manually scoop. Less interaction with cat poop means reduced risk of exposure during pregnancy.

If there's truly no one else available, it can be done more safely. The commonly recommended approach:

• Wear disposable gloves.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Wash hands thoroughly afterward.
• Clean the box daily so waste doesn't sit.

A mask is reasonable if you're stirring up a lot of dust. The goal is to minimize both direct contact with feces and close inhalation of litter particles. It's not a reason to panic if it happens once. It's just worth being thoughtful about if it becomes a regular task.