Cleaning Cat Litter Box Pregnant

It s a popular myth that pregnant women will contract a disease or harm their baby if they continue to clean their pet s litter box but in reality more people contract toxoplasmosis from mishandling and eating raw meat than cleaning kitty s throne.

Cleaning cat litter box pregnant.

Only people who are healthy and aren t pregnant should clean the litter box. Feed your cat commercial dry or canned food not raw or undercooked meats. The likelihood of getting sick after cleaning your cat s litter box is very small. It is best if you can have somebody that is not pregnant change your cat s litter box.

The concern here is toxoplasmosis a parasitic infection that can be transmitted through cat poop such as in kitty litter or outdoor soil where cats have defecated. If no one else can perform the task wear disposable gloves and wash your hands with soap and water afterwards. If you do not have somebody to help with this or if a situation occurs where you need to change your cat s litter box use gloves and a mask and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water when you are done. Ensure that the cat litter box is changed daily.

If your cat is healthy doesn t spend a lot of time outside doesn t eat raw meat and if you clean and change the cat litter box every day the chance to get toxoplasmosis from your cat is very small. They are soft and cuddly creatures. Cleaning a kitty litter box can lead to toxoplasmosis a condition that can be extremely harmful to pregnant women and unborn babies. The cat litter box should be cleaned on a daily basis.

The toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat s feces. By samantha steiner jul 29 2020 cats can make for amazing affectionate companions who sometimes show their love for their owner in mysterious ways. 2 scrub the empty litter box. If a pregnant woman does find it necessary to change a cat litter box she should wear gloves when doing so and wash her hands thoroughly afterward.

But it is better to be on the safe side and to ask other members of your family to clean the cat litter box when you are pregnant. Wear gloves when you clean the litter box and wash your hands with soap and warm water. Keep a waste basket or trash bag close by and dump everything out of the litter box before cleaning it. Once the litter is removed you ll need to scrub the litter box either in a sink or with a hose outside.

Toxoplasmosis cysts in the litter box require 48 hours to become infective.