handling kitty litter

Yself

handling kitty litter

Yself

I remember reading you should not handle kitty litter while undergoing treatment, but what about the rest of your life? My treatment was one year ago. Got a darling kitten a couple of weeks ago. Didn't think about wearing gloves. Should I?

Yself

mke

I don't wear gloves, but I do wash my hands very thoroughly after scooping the poop.  I find the clumping litter easier to deal with - easier to avoid contact.  If I have any sores or a cold I ask someone else to deal with it, but wearing gloves and a mask then would work too.

Be careful about scratches.  Kittens can be sort of rough before they learn the rules of play with humans.  My new kitten scratched me when I grabbed her after she escaped from the house and was headed for the street.  Following advice from this site and from a nurse call-in service I saw a doctor and did a 10 day course of antibiotics to reduce the possibility of lymphedema.

Enjoy your new kitten, ours is still bouncing off the walls and has lots of funny little games.

badboob67

The risk with handling kitty litter is TOXOPLASMOSIS. It is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and those with copromised immune systems. I think if you are very careful and wash your hands thoroughly, you should be ok.

Diane 

shorfi

I had to hide the fact that I had "Max". My oncologist would not have approved of me having a cat during the time I had treatment. So I would wear the gloves and a face mask when I changed the litter...which was everyday. I never had any problems.

Anonymous

My DH changed cleaned the boxes.  I was also instructed not to clean toilets!  LOL 

Poppy

I cleaned the litter box throughout tx and still do. I wash my hands after scooping. The only thing that freaks me is how much "dust" gets kicked up sometimes. My dh brought home the stuff in the purple box (can't remember the name) and it was super dusty. I don't like the idea of inhaling whatever is in there!

Hugs

Erica

Mizsissy

I think the main reason you are supposed to avoid kitty litter during chemo is because you supposed to avoid infections because your blood counts are low.  But they go right back to normal after chemo.

No problem now.

I will always advocate for kitties in any way I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Mizzy (Diehard cat fanatic) 

Fitztwins

I thought it was only an issue when pregnant?

Anonymous

I avoided the litter box during tx.  Umm....embarrassed to say that I often avoid it now even though I am a year and a half out of treatment now. 
Deb

jezza

I had a blood test while I was pregnant and found out I was immune to toxoplasmosis because I had already had it.

Apparently the symptoms can be pretty mild if you are healthy...similar to a cold or mild flu. I have always had cats (love them even though my current siamese is incredibly naughty...but adorable). Maybe many of you cat lovers have had it and didn't know.

But I agree...good excuse to ask someone else to clean out the litter box.

jezza