Litter box

[laura11111]

Anyone taking a chance with the litter box? My husband is slacking and I'm suffocating here. I can't stand the smell anymore! About to just do it. Will gloves help?

 

[justplay91]

Does your cat go outside?

 

[laura11111]

The one goes in the fenced yard.

 

[arturia]

To minimize your risk, you should clean the box daily. I'd recommend making your husband do it this time but pick up his slack tomorrow.

If your cats are indoors and never eat raw meat your odds are better of getting it from eating undercooked meat. Just get gloves, a mask, and do not touch your face until you have thoroughly washed your hands. You can only get toxoplasmosis if you somehow consume it.

EDIT: You might need to take a pass as you don't know what your yard kitty has been eating. And yes, if outdoors cats poop in your yard and he/she digs at it, he could lick it off his paws.

 

[laura11111]

Thanks. Yeah...I shouldn't chance it. Ugg. They both eat mice...too often. I live in an old farmhouse. It's soooo stinky!!!...the litter box.

I didn't know that any risk is reduced by cleaning it daily. So, good to know. He doesn't do it daily.

 

[arturia]

It takes a day for it to become infectious once it passes out of your kitty's digestive tract.

 

[Scout]

When I was pregnant I talked to both the vet and my high risk ob, and they both said that as long as I wash my hands afterwards, i would be fine. I'm single so no choice but to clean it myself. No need for masks as nothing is airborne unless the litter dust bothers you. And yep, cleaning it everyday is best. From what I understand, if the cat has toxoplasmosis it doesn't become infectious until it's pooped and outside the body for 24 hours. My OB told me I was more at risk working in my garden than from cleaning the litter box. But, everyone has to do what they feel comfortable doing and if you don't, then stay on top of hubby.

 

[arturia]

When I was pregnant I talked to both the vet and my high risk ob, and they both said that as long as I wash my hands afterwards, i would be fine. I'm single so no choice but to clean it myself. No need for masks as nothing is airborne unless the litter dust bothers you. And yep, cleaning it everyday is best. From what I understand, if the cat has toxoplasmosis it doesn't become infectious until it's pooped and outside the body for 24 hours. My OB told me I was more at risk working in my garden than from cleaning the litter box. But, everyone has to do what they feel comfortable doing and if you don't, then stay on top of hubby.

I read on a website somewhere that airborne dust could be a concern, so I put it out there. Glad to note someone disagrees since I don't bother while cleaning my own litterbox. (No I'm not single but I figured the risk wasn't high enough to warrant making dh do the litter every day for 9 months)

 

[Kanichen34]

I also still take turns with my husband to clean the litter box. I figure I already wash my hands after so there can't be much risk as long as you wash your hands thoroughly.

 

[lakotachris]

Living on a livestock operation and having scene the horrors of toxisplasmosis in aborted or damaged livestock offspring I would NEVER change a litter box when I was pregnant.

Also, all the great hand washing in the world doesn't always prevent zoonotic diseases believe me speaking from personal experience.

 

[mrs unicorn]

I get my DH to do it as soon as he gets in every day. But I work from home so there has been the odd occasion that I cannot bare it and have done it myself. I wear rubber gloves and (obviously) wash my hands properly afterwards. i think you'd be fine so long as it's not been there for ages and you've got gloves on. Give your DH a kick up the backside though!! Mine joked that each one was one less nappy he'll have to change - he'll be at work most of the time when baby arrives anyway!!

 

[motherofboys]

I hadn't even thought about this. We have a little scoop that we use to hook out the poop, then I wash my hands immediately.

 

[jessmke]

Living on a livestock operation and having scene the horrors of toxisplasmosis in aborted or damaged livestock offspring I would NEVER change a litter box when I was pregnant.

Also, all the great hand washing in the world doesn't always prevent zoonotic diseases believe me speaking from personal experience.

Hand washing does not prevent all zoonotic diseases but toxoplasmosis specifically is transmitted by the fecal oral route, or through direct contact of infected feces with broken skin, so wearing gloves and washing your hands well afterwards will be enough to protect you when changing a litter box. If you garden you should also wear gloves and wash well afterwards in case an outdoor cat has pooped in your garden.

 

[NinjaPanda]

ugh, I have a similar dilemma except that my husband does the box but he's going to Europe for 20 days....

 

[beccabonny]

I wonder why the nurse at the OB's office said to wear a mask? In case the poop somehow flies up into my mouth? Ugh. My cats have been inside cats since kittenhood, and I clean the box daily, and the OB ok'd me staying on LB duty unless I "felt like getting out of it."

If your cats are going outside I would make sure to clean that box every 24 hours or less if you have to do it. So if it's been sitting there, definitely take some precautions! You could get disposable litter boxes and just toss them when they are bad if DH is dragging his feet.

 

[arturia]

Becca - Scanning the topic, no nurse said that to anyone, and I read that off a website. Questionable source to begin with. Probably thought microscopic poop fragments on dust particles could host some of the parasite. Looks like others are saying it can't.

 

[kellyrae]

So if your cats are indoor cats and have been from birth there is no real risk?

 

[arturia]

kelly - You'd be more likely to catch it from a medium rare steak and even that's pretty rare. Your cat can still get it if you've been feeding raw meat or he/she's been catching mice indoors. (I don't think catching/eating insects is risky.) You'd have an appreciable risk from gardening since you really don't know who's been considering your yard a litter box. So just wear gloves and wash your hands after.

 

[beccabonny]

arturia, i should have mentioned that MY OB nurse was the one to tell me to wear a mask. Now my cats have started catching mice, though...*sigh*

 

[arturia]

arturia, i should have mentioned that MY OB nurse was the one to tell me to wear a mask. Now my cats have started catching mice, though...*sigh*

Oh, I see.

Sometimes I wish that the recommendations weren't all over the map.