To not want to wash a filthy cat bed in our washing machine?

[PurpleCurtain]

We have a cat - or should I say, my husband has a cat as I'm not an animal person and therefore the agreement is that my husband looks after her and feeds her etc. She sleeps in our utility room, bed on top of our tumble dryer.

We also have a baby on the way imminently. I'm trying to ensure the house is suitably clean for baby's arrival - and asked DH when he last cleaned the cat bed. To be told, probably 9 months ago. I peered in to the cat's bed and it looks FILTHY.

It definitely needs washing but my instinct is I'm really reluctant to do it in our washing machine and follow it up with washing baby clothes etc - is this what others do?! Won't everything be forever covered in cat hair and potentially worse / our washing machine break?

Am I unreasonable to ask DH to take the cat bed down to the nearest launderette?!

We have 2 very hairy dogs, I used to wash their beds in washing machine but was always a bit uneasy about it. So lately I've taken to buying the cheapest dog mattresses and just throwing them out and replacing every so often, probably every 3 months or so.

I can't remember when we last cleaned the cat bed! But it looks clean and it doesn't smell. I'm surprised that your bed is so filthy, unless your cat jumps straight in with muddy feet? There shouldn't be any cat poo in it, unless your cat has been ill.

Yes it is fine to go in a washing machine and won't have any effect on subsequent washes, Just wipe or hoover off cat hairs. I wash at 40 but 60 should be OK so long as the material and filling can cope.

You can catch Toxoplasmosis from cat poo (as well as from undercooked or raw meat) but you can only catch it once. It is dangerous in pregnancy causing defects to the foetus and miscarriage, but, as your baby is due imminently, you are not in any danger.

Unfortunately if it waddles & quacks.... it's most likely a duck!!

Your OP did come across as really unpleasant. Most likely not intentional. You sound like an angry cat hater.

Take the cat bed to the dry cleaners.

I don’t know if this context is useful, but a lot of people use reusable nappies and even with the best waste removal before they go in the machine, I suspect there’s more poo in them than from a cat bed. I appreciate the difference between animal and human, but just to say we have next to no problems on that score. I also dye clothes a lot and find I can run another wash immediately afterwards with no residue getting on the next load. I hope that reassures you about how much machines take away and don’t spread on to other loads.

Just take any excess hair off with a lint roller. Other than that there's nothing to flap about. Poo covered nappies go in our washing machine and it all comes out clean- even if you use disposable nappies believe me there will be plenty of baby poo all over clothes, towels etc so your machine is about to be full of poo soon enough and its really not an issue. Cats are extremely clean (although clearly your husband less so) so the bed will not be covered in poo. The cats food bowls go in our dishwasher too with everything else and we're all still alive so far!

Brace yourself OP, when dd was born our cat was 3. When dd was little she tried the cat's dry food. It was in the kitchen with a huge lump of permanently hot enamelled cast iron - an Aga. Dd never once touched it, nor the cat's bed.
As for Kaz, she came in to the sitting room, about 21ft from the carry cot on the floor, sniffed, walked to within about 3 ft and then walked away probably gassed by one of dd's farts.

I'd been a bit worried by the risk of Kaz getting in her carry cot, cot etc. Never a problem. She even tolerated being dressed up in a build-a-bear dressing gown. Dd thought of her as a big sister.

You'll manage, it will be OK

The cat was sleeping in my cot when I was three days old. Cat hair shouldn’t make the baby ill, and may improve his immune system. Washing the cat bed on a warm cycle with a couple of towels to prevent load imbalance should be fine.

Don’t have a cat but in case this helps you, I do a full wash at 90 degrees from time to time, with nothing in there but Calgon antibacterial wash, to give the inside of the washing machine a good rinse. Maybe you can wash the cat bed and then do a 90 degrees (or other high temp) wash to clean the machine before you use it for baby clothes?

I think you need to get a grip. Just wash it or buy a new one

I was scrubs in my washing machine at 90 degrees. I've had sputum, vomit, blood poo etc all over my scrubs and then washed them.

I wash my baby’s pooey nappies in our machine and it’s fine - a bit of cat fur won’t harm yours!

Wow, what's going to happen with baby shit. Will those clothes just be tossed?

Chuck the bed in the machine with a good glug of disinfectant (I put disinfectant in all my washing - stops towels getting that funny smell), and on a warm to hot setting. It will be fine. I chuck the horses rugs in mine. They're way more hairy, dirty and pooped on than a pet bed is.

Usually I do the horse rugs then put the machine on a tub clean cycle which includes a cup of bleach (per machine operating instructions).

I think you’re getting a tiny bit of a hard time OP - I am very relaxed about dirt and my cat often shares my cup of tea, but I remember going a little bit loopy about preparing for our first baby and dousing everything in Milton and washing and rewashing all the baby clothes. It happens.

Other posters are right though, you’re overthinking this and no harm will come from washing the cat bed in the washing machine (only concern might be cat hair clogging things up so just remove as much hair as possible prior to washing.

The good news is there is evidence babies brought up around cats and dogs tend to be healthier and less prone to allergies and respiratory illness. So if anything, exposure to a bit of cat fluff will be a good thing!

I just washed and dried DD1's bed linen and marvelled at how much cat fur was in the fluff catcher thing in the drier. I suppose it is a cat bed of sorts, they are always on it.

Not sure why the op is getting so much meanness.
I would bin the cat bed and get a new one.
Take care xxx

Decent launderettes don't allow the washing of pet beds and blankets. Presumably to protect anyone with allergies as well as prevent excess hair getting into the machine. Ours has several prominent signs about this.

@PurpleCurtain

Would you wash at 60? Higher? Lower? Haven't inspected too closely but looks like there is dirt in the bed - so over 9 months it doesn't seem impossible that that doesn't contain our or another cat's excrement (though may just be believing my mother!), but yes my own main concern is the volume of hairs.

For the record, I am nice to the cat - though consider her a pet not equivalent to a child, and sorry if that upsets anyone!

Try using one of those sticky rollers for clothes. It will get rid of most hair before you wash the bed.

@SpringIsSprung1

Poor cat

Agree

DH vacuums the cat bed (s) regularly, and no poop ever! Only on the stair rug if she's mad at him 😄

OP sorry others have been to rude!

My kids are older but I totally understand where you're coming from, We have just got a dog and I'm really on top of cleaning. And they are no babies here.

I would feel the same about mixing a newborns clothes. Long term cat lovers won't understand. But I do! Not saying it's right as of course the cat and baby are here to stay. But I understand your thoughts.

Some people have been quite rude.

I think the bag idea is a good one and maybe the Dettol cleaning fluid too to keep your mind at rest.

(I might use a laundrette for the dog's bed... i personally think it's a great idea.... but don't tell anyone 😉)

If you've previously clogged a washing machine because of the volume of human hair () I doubt a few cat hairs will be a concern.

@Undertheoldlindentree

Decent launderettes don't allow the washing of pet beds and blankets. Presumably to protect anyone with allergies as well as prevent excess hair getting into the machine. Ours has several prominent signs about this.

And as op has lived with the cat, the baby will have natural immunity to the cat.

Why say things to rile up someone, who is nervous?!

I totally get where you’re coming from op. I was very careful before dd was born. Looking back, I was a bit ott. Your mum is irresponsible to be winding you up in this way. Your baby really will be fine.

The cat is part of your family and your attitude that you aren't a cat owner will be driving an emotional wedge between you and your DH.

The washing machine being killed by the car bed is the least of your problems. Poor cat and poor DH.