The truth about cat litter??

[wlovew]

I was just reading a sample from a book about cat litter saying a pregnant woman absolutely should not do it. I also have done other research that says if the cats are and have always been indoor-only, there's nothing to worry about. I am pretty much a crazy cat lady, I have 3 fur babies and they're my BABIES. Is it OK that I still clean the litter box? I can start wearing rubber gloves if that would be necessary but I don't ever come in contact with the waste and I wash my hands thoroughly. It's ok, right??

 

[LittleMrsL]

I think it has to do with the chemicals in the urine/faeces. On my cat litter packaging it has a warning sign that says "Pregnant women, nursing mothers, small children and those with suppressed immune systems should avoid contact with soiled litter." hope that helps

 

[KylasBaby]

You really should get someone else to clean it. However, if that is not an option you will need gloves and a mask. Even just the cats being on the litter kicks up dust which can have the parasite and you can breathe it in. And vent the area and don't go back in for a while to be sure all the dust has settled. It's all to avoid the toxoplasmosis infection from the parasite toxoplasmosis gondii. Which can cause many issues, including miscarriage and harming the developing baby.

Just because your cats don't go outside doesn't mean they don't have it. You go outside and bring things from the outside in, namely your shoes and jackets, etc. those could all transport the parasite into the house and your cats could pick it up. So indoor only cats are safer in that they don't to outside to get the parasite themselves, but it could still be brought into the home and they could get it then.

I actually just watched a documentary on bacteria on the body and such and they did a segment about this. Personally I'm not taking the risk with my cats.

 

[Bubbles1088]

It would be best to get someone else to do it, but if that's not an option, like Kylasbaby said, use gloves and a mask. My DH (begrudgingly) does it for me.

On the bright side though, if you've always had cats, chances are you've already been infected with the parasite before. It causes some kind of immunity in that case. The time to worry is if you have a NEW infection. Unfortunately, it's usually symptomless. When there are symptoms, it's swollen glands, aches, etc. I found a bunch of info on it at the CDC website if you want to look it up. Just look up toxoplasmosis.

Anyway, I ramble. Your doctor will ask you (if they haven't already) about if you have cats and the litter box. They can test your blood for the parasite or in the case that you've had it before, they can see if you have antibodies to it. All this being said, though, it's safest not to do it, but if you must, use gloves and a mask and wash your hands.

 

[pansorie]

My husband does it for me, but honestly that has always been his job, tehehe. I love my Miss Kitty too, she is my baby! But her reign of terror may end with the LO on her way, lol!

 

[LittleLala]

My husband does it now, and our ragdoll is strictly indoor-only. Poor DH... That cat is his enemy. But he changes the litter none the less.

We are going to have to give away our cat before the baby arrives, because he is very jealous. If my husband and I kiss, the cat will walk up and bite him on the leg. If we leave the bedroom door open, DH will wake up and the cat will be standing on him, nose to nose, and bite him on the cheek. Seriously, that cat is like a fluff ball of love and cuddles to me... But hates my poor husband. We can't risk that with a baby.
But every time I think about how we have to give him away, I cry :'(

 

[wlovew]

Oh LittleLala that's awful!! My cats are all sweet as pie and would never harm the baby. My friends have brought their kids over many times and they love my cats and my cats tolerate them very well!!! I'm so sorry you have to rehome your furbaby

Thanks everyone else for your advice! Definitely will be picking up some supplies at Target later!! I live alone and will be solo on this parenting adventure so I am on my own with the litter boxes!!

 

[Scout]

I'm single, and therefore I had to change my cats litter box. I was also high risk (over 40) so I had care from a perinatologist as well as my OB. I asked them both about the cat litter and they both said I should be fine as long as I wash up afterwards, which I do all the time anyways. Plus, from what I understand, a cat would have to be infected and then when they poop it takes 24 hours from that time before the poop is infectious to humans, so if you change it daily you should be fine even if cat is infected, which is unlikely since it's an indoor cat. (they pick up the infection from eating rodents) Also, to get the infection, you'd have to ingest it. It's not in the air and doesn't seep through the skin. So, all in all, I think it's pretty unlikely that you'd need to worry. But always a good idea to ask your own doctor as they may be more cautious than mine were. GL

 

[Bubbles1088]

Oh! I forgot to add that a lot of the info I got is also from the revised edition of "What To Expect When You're Expecting". There is a whole chapter on sickness and it goes through pretty much everything you can think of, including toxoplasmosis. If you don't have this book yet, I recommend it (not just for this info; it has a wealth of info on everything you could think of and then some).

 

[Buffyx]

When we found out the first time I was pregnant, we got rid of the litter. I'm so glad we did. But our cat is both indoor and outdoor, so that's a lot easier. My husband would have done it for me though