Cat Litter Question

[zmzerbe]

Let me start out by saying that I know that cleaning the cat box while pregnant is a big no no.

My husband is a service technician and fixes copiers for a living and whenever they have a new copier introduced, the employees go for a week long training course to learn the ins and outs of the machine. He will be gone for a week coming up soon and he is the one that handles the cat box. He scoops the box on an every other day basis and our cat will start refusing the box if this routine isn't upheld.

My question is, when he is gone during his week of training, will it be safe for me to scoop out the clumps at least once or twice? Or should I try to find someone to come over and do it for me?

 

[Bekah78]

I change my cats boxes. I use disposable gloves and a face mask (online advice only says gloves but I don't think you can be too careful) and then wash my hands thoroughly afterwards. The websites I read said the chances of picking up an infection are slim but I think you should be careful.

 

[angelmum31]

I do mine twice a day and did with both pregnancies. I wear rubber gloves and wash hands thoroughly after - never had an issue.... As long as your sensible and wear gloves you should be fine! I once read that there was more chance of getting toxoplasmosis from eating unwashed vegetables than from cat trays....

 

[prettybirdy27]

My doctor told me that my risk of getting toxoplasmosis is greater from eating undercooked meat and from digging in my garden than it is from the cat box. But I would recommend you try to find someone just in case, and if not, just wear good gloves and maybe a face mask, be super careful to not touch feces itself, and wash up really well afterwards.

Also if your kitty has always been an indoor kitty, the risk is really really low as well.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Your OB or MW might have done a blood test to see if you are immune to toxoplasmosis, the disease that can be transferred from cat feces to humans. Mine did, I'm immune.

Or better yet, get disposable gloves and a mask, make sure you clean it really well and wash your hands after. It's not all too common that people actually get sick from cleaning it but I guess politcally they will tell us not to do a lot just to be on the safe side of things

 

[Nerdy]

Cats cannot get toxoplasmosis unless they have eaten infected rodents or birds. So... If you have a cat who has been inside their whole life, you're good. Had cats that were feral but rescued several years ago? You're good. The cat would have shed the parasite/bacteria a long time ago.

EDIT: However, I would still use gloves because yuck. I have 5 cats total.

 

[zmzerbe]

Thanks for the info! I had no idea that indoor cats were very low risk carriers. My kitty has been indoor his entire life, the only time outside has been when I was picking him up from the lady we got him from as a kitten. He's not quite a year old yet and has never eaten a rodent or a bird.

I still won't tell my husband this info though Might as well milk it while I can.

 

[CurlyRose]

I do mine every day, and do the weekly deep clean. I don't wear gloves or a mask, just wash my hands thoroughly afterwards. The risk is ridiculously low, only really an issue if you are just letting your cat out for the first time.

 

[jessmke]

Toxoplasmosis is transmitted fecal-oral (so you touch the cat poop with your bare hands and then touch your mouth), or can be introduced directly into your bloodstream if you have say a cut on your hand and you touch the cat poop with that hand. Most of us are more sensible than that when we change cat litter, so just wear gloves and wash your hands well after cleaning the litter and you will be fine. Also wear gloves if you are doing outdoor gardening in case neighbourhood kitties are pooping in your garden. Also, you don't catch toxoplasmosis from feces until about 12 hours after the kitty makes the poop, so cleaning the box more frequently (twice a day) further lessens your chances of getting infected.

We live in the country and we have an outdoor kitty, so he is high risk for toxoplasmosis. He has a litter box in the garage but he almost never uses it, he finds somewhere in the woods where he prefers to do his business. Even if he did use the box, there is no way on gods green earth my hubby would scoop the litter so it is still my job to clean the box. I am also a vet nurse and I will change the litter for cats in the clinic, I just wear gloves and wash my hands afterwards and I haven't had any issues.

 

[AMP1117]

Let me start out by saying that I know that cleaning the cat box while pregnant is a big no no.

My husband is a service technician and fixes copiers for a living and whenever they have a new copier introduced, the employees go for a week long training course to learn the ins and outs of the machine. He will be gone for a week coming up soon and he is the one that handles the cat box. He scoops the box on an every other day basis and our cat will start refusing the box if this routine isn't upheld.

My question is, when he is gone during his week of training, will it be safe for me to scoop out the clumps at least once or twice? Or should I try to find someone to come over and do it for me?

From what I read it takes at least 24 hours for the parasites to grow...therefore the articles said if you scoop minimally once a day there is no risk. Also the risk only exists if you ingest the parasite...so I would 1) wear rubber gloves 2) Scrub your hands immensely once you are done

 

[AndiTTC]

I have two strictly indoors cats who only eat dry cat food, so the likelihood that either of them carries toxoplasmosis is extremely low. Nevertheless, I still wear disposable gloves when I scoop their litter boxes, and I thoroughly wash my hands afterwards. I also make sure to scoop their litter boxes at least once a day.

 

[Indi84]

Like the others I just use gloves and get on with it, though dh does it for me when home, I can't stand cat poo so if they go in the day I get rid of it straight away.

 

[Misscalais]

Ive cleaned my cats with all my pregnancies. Me and my kids are absolutely fine. Gloves and i wash my hands twice. But i do that prior to pregnancy anyway.