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646779 tn?1281996041

Please advise :-(

I have two cats that are indoor cats, I recently read about toxoplasmosis and am a bit worried as we keep the litter tray by the back door in the kitchen (I have a big kitchen - it is well away from food) My partner changes the litter but some mornings we come into the kitchen and there's traces of litter on the worktops because they walk over them at night. We clean them straight away most of the time but there are times I do not see everywhere they have climbed and so if I'm in a hurry I might not have time to clean all over. Could the units effectively become infected with toxoplasmosis?
Should I go for tests to be sure?
It's quite worrying.
16 Responses
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Avatar universal
i cleaned my kitty's potty box while i was pregnant and didn't have toxplasmosis. the dh decided to research kitty litter. he found that it's not the urine but when it mixes with the litter is what's bad. so instead of getting the normal stuff (tidy cats) he got this 100% chemical free hypo allergenic stuff called schweat. it's actually better for kittens to. they don't breath in clay dust. but the schweat is made out of wheat instead of clay and whatever else is in tidy cats. i used that stuff well i still do. not for me but for venus. they recommend using it till they're 1 yr old. then we'll switch back to tidy cats.
Helpful - 0
689265 tn?1251130087
i'm single so i have to clean the tray, but i use rubber gloves to do it. i also keep the tray in the bathroom
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646779 tn?1281996041
Yes, I think we have similar due dates!!! I'm 22 October 09. You're due a few days before me.
I'm hoping for a girl this time, how about you?
:-)
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646779 tn?1281996041
Bless him, my partner spent the whole of last night sanitising the kitchen from head to toe, scrubbing the floors around the litter box, bleeching and boiling water over the emptied litter box. He was exausted when it was all over. He later made us a Jacket Potatoe and exotic salad. He's the best!!
Thanks for your help girls.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey Kate, come join us in the October 09 Forum if you want!
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/334

I scoop the litterbox sometimes and wash my hands really good afterwards.
Helpful - 0
568659 tn?1256139982
My OB said I can clean the box as long as I wash my hands right afterward, which I would do anyways. I still told Joe that I am not allowed to clean it lol, so I get off of liter box duty for a while.
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446156 tn?1275859576
I was told not to clean the litter box so hubby dose it.  You should be fine.  I have 2 cats an 2 enclosed litter boxed.  ( They have lids.)  Anita
Helpful - 0
342988 tn?1299782356
i spoke to my cats vet about this when i was pregnant and he said its the old dry poop and pee that carries the germs.  he also said if your cats are indoors then the risks are so low, just dont change the litter box.  also the biggest risk is during your first trimester.  it was great that i had to bring my cat to the vet during my pregnancy sp i could ask.

dont stress about the litter ont he floor, your ok.
Helpful - 0
646779 tn?1281996041
Thanks girls, maybe I'm worrying too much - I always was my hands after feeding the cats etc. Does anyone else agree that you really worry about everything when you're coming to the end of the first trimester - it's like I accept I'm having a baby, it's sunk in now, and I want everything to go smoothly. I want the best for this baby. Like we all do.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
As spade22 said you'd have to ingest cat feces. The problem that doctors have is that women change the cat litter box and traces of microscopic fecal matter get on their hands. If you don't wash your hands or cooking surfaces, then YES you can get taxoplasmosis.

Definitely move the box, too. We keep ours in the bathroom.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Toxoplasmosis transmission occurs by ingesting the microorganism - so you would have to have ingest contaminated cat feces to get toxoplasmosis from this mode  :-O

You can also get toxoplasmosis from dirt, contaminated water, and handling infected meat.  Wet cat food is processed and is fine.
Helpful - 0
568659 tn?1256139982
I'm not sure about that, good point. My cat only eats dry food, he is weird and doesn't like wet food.
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646779 tn?1281996041
What about cat food from tins, is that partly cooked meat?
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568659 tn?1256139982
My OB told me the only way you can get toxoplasmosis is if your cat is eating raw meat, he said it is more of a problem for outdoor cats.
Either way, I agree that the kitchen is a horrible place for a litter box, maybe move it to the basement or the bathroom.
Helpful - 0
646779 tn?1281996041
Thanks for the advice, I think I will speak to my midwife and arrange for tests. You are right, I have despared about what I can do with all the baby's feeding things if those figgin' cats are not going to stop climbing everywhere. The kitchen needs to be the most sanitary room of the house, so somethings got to change. Moving the litter tray seems a good idea.
How sweet, I can see the baby eating them in my head, how innocent lol.
Helpful - 0
171768 tn?1324230099
since you have cats, just have your OB test to see if you've had toxoplasmosis. I have heard a large percentage of cat owners have. Despite having cats all my life, I have NOT had it, so hubby gets to do all the litter clean up.
Whether or not you've had it, I think it is possible for your worktops to be contaminated, and you should sanitize everytime you or anyone else prepares anything. is there anywhere else in the house you can keep the litter box? We had it in the kitchen a while back, but moved it to the office for sanitation reasons. I'm glad we did. Once the baby was here, it had to be completely away from anywhere the baby would be, and the baby is in the kitchen often. (even isolating the box, i did find baby eating trackings once- eeew). Plus, you don't want to risk any of the baby's feeding things being contaminated. Finally, you may want to research ways to train cats to stay off of the counters. There are commercial sprays and devises you get purchase, and I think if you search online you can find other cheaper ways as well.
Helpful - 0
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