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Conception

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Original poster

Cat poo and TTC

21 replies

Perie · 19/07/2017 09:00

Hi everyone- new user here, first post and it's about cat poo, how lovely.

I went for a smear test yesterday and mentioned to my doctor that we are TTC. she asked if I was taking folic acid and if I had any pets.

She didn't go into it but mentioned that I should avoid having the cat sit on me and avoid cleaning her tray. Luckily I trained her to use the human loo so it's usually just a squirt of bleach spray and a flush. I also bath her once a week and the doctor advised I get my DH to do that instead.

Now, I love my cat A LOT and can't imaging shunning her while we are starting a family. Help and advice?

Thanks

OP posts:
cakesandphotos · 19/07/2017 09:40

I can maybe see why not to touch the cat litter although to my understanding, that's only a risk when pregnant. Absolutely cannot see why your cat can't sit on you! We have two cats and I never showed them any less affection while TTC and I don't now I'm pregnant. Perhaps the doctor isn't a cat person?
And I'm very impressed you bath your cat! We tried to rinse our cats tail once after I dipped it in red wine and flicked it all over the ceiling and walls and my DH got a punctured neck for his troubles!

cakesandphotos · 19/07/2017 09:40

After HE dipped it in red wine! To clarify, I don't go round dipping my cats tails into alcohol! Grin

littleemma1 · 19/07/2017 09:53

This is a joke, right?!
Firstly, you've trained your cat to use the HUMAN TOILET?! It has to be a joke, that's not possible.
Secondly, you bath your cat?! My cat would go batshit crazy if I tried to bath them and tear everyone's eyeballs out in the process.
Thirdly, give your head a wobble, of course you don't have to shun your beloved pet whilst TTC, just be extra cautious in terms of germs. Plenty of people of pets around and women all over the world still conceive and manage just fine.

Original poster
Perie · 19/07/2017 09:55

Yeah, i feel like she may have been over reacting.. but she didn't go into it and its just left me confused.

Sometimes when she poops it splats (sorry!) on the toilet bowl and i just give it a wipe with loo roll and flush. Obvs I wash my hands straight after. I just cant imagine not being able to do it as it doesn't seem like a big deal.

Hahaha, red wine paint brush Wine I started bathing her when she was a kitten and just kept it up - doesn't bother her so its all good. I bath her with baby shampoo so she smells like a furry baby - maybe thats why I do it Grin

OP posts:
physicskate · 19/07/2017 10:20

TTC for awhile now and I just use rubber gloves when changing the litter tray. We may (or may not) re-evaluate once I am actually pregnant.... I wash my hands straight after.

My understanding is that in order to get toxoplasmosis (which most of us have already had at some point in our lives anyway and are now immune to), you need to get your hands dirty and then the nasties need to get into your mouth - ie dig in the dirt and then eat with your filthy hands.

As I type this, my cat is in my lap.

MineKraftCheese · 19/07/2017 10:23

I want your cat Grin

Kadena127 · 19/07/2017 10:24

@littleemma1 yes cats can be trained to use the human toilet actually. Smile

Pibbee · 19/07/2017 11:12

Not really the point of this thread but how the hell do you train your cat to use the loo?! Mine would fall in!

Foniks · 19/07/2017 11:25

First, can you come and train my cats please?

Second, yes cat poo can be dangerous in pregnancy, but if you practice good hygiene should be fine. So washing hands well after cleaning up after the cat and even after stroking, just in case there are any traces. Also in case the scratch you, there are some dangerous bugs they can carry, especially if they like to dig soil. It's the same as being more careful with washing fruit and veg while pregnant.

Fwiw, I didn't change the tray at all during pregnancy but the cats loved sitting on my bump and cuddling up to me when I was pregnant (loads of people say the same actually) and the baby is fine. My mum changed the tray in every pregnancy she had, and we were all fine, but, when I was reading about this during pregnancy they say the litter is slightly radioactive and that's another danger even if you practice excellent hygiene...I know that doesn't apply to you with your super cat, but just for others to know.

Honestly, don't worry too much about it. I don't know of anybody who avoided letting the cat sitting on them in pregnancy and they're all fine. And as I say, some cats have been known to get even more cuddly during pregnancy, and again, all fine. My consultants and midwives knew about my cats and were fine with it too.

Original poster
Perie · 19/07/2017 11:27

It wasn't easy @Pibbee -

It took about 6 months to get her going good, and about a year of training for 100% trouble free toilets.

I started training her from day 1. I changed the regular toilet seat to a toddler seat (one with a smaller inner seat that you can flip down for smaller bums) and put a tupperwear dish in the hole and filled with flushable cat litter. It was easy to get her to go in the dish on the loo.

The trouble was when i started to cut a hole in the dish to expose the water and cut down the litter. She would pee in it no bother but HATED pooing in it and preferred to crap on the floor beside the toilet. I installed a CCTV camera in the toilet that was linked to my phone so I would get a notification when she was in there, if i saw her looking shifty on the floor I could tell her off via the microphone. Nothing says crazy lady like shouting 'BAAAAAD CATTT' at your phone in tesco. Blush

She eventually got the message and now just does her business in the toilet. Every time she uses the loo she comes and finds me to clean it for her because she knows she gets a tuna treat as a reward.

OP posts:
physicskate · 19/07/2017 11:30

Cat litter is radioactive?! Must get my Geiger counter out and try this!!!!!!!

Foniks · 19/07/2017 11:36

physics slightly, yes. I was shocked when I found out too.
Traces of uranium, thorium, and potassium-40, from what I could Google when I found out about this.
Apparently, in massive loads of it, like when they're transporting it all, it needs to be declared and sets off something to alert customs there is something radioactive in this truck.
It might just be clay litter though, I'm not sure if it's in all litter or not.

You actually have a Geiger counter? That's so cool haha. Tell us all what it says when you do it!

Original poster
Perie · 19/07/2017 11:41

Thanks @Foniks

Really useful and informative.

I will just be super cautious and disinfect more than usual on surfaces she goes on.

Again, luckily I trainer her not to climb on kitchen worktops and tables. Poor cat never catches a break Wink

OP posts:
cakesandphotos · 19/07/2017 11:55

@Perie this is the best thing ever! My DH won't even let me put gps trackers on the cats! I want to be able to talk to the boys while I'm in Tesco!! stamps feet and screws up fists

physicskate · 19/07/2017 12:05

I have two. But they live in my lab. So will have to remember to bring the portable one home!!!

Pibbee · 19/07/2017 12:43

Two of my favourite things are cats and physics. At no point did I expect to find them both cropping up on a thread here! Love it Grin

physicskate · 19/07/2017 14:12

Probably two of my three favourite things too! That, and wine!

user1493413286 · 19/07/2017 14:17

I'm quite fascinated by your cat being toilet trained but in answer to the rest of your post. I did cat litter as normal when TTC and obviously had always practiced good hygiene with it. Once pregnant my OH did all the cat litter and if I was stroking the cat before eating something with my hands like a sandwich I would wash my hands but apart from that I treated my cats like normal - letting them sit with me etc. I did have to stop them trying to sit or walk across my tummy but they learned quite quickly and I always felt that my female cat knew I was pregnant as she would stay very close to me, almost protectively.

OrlandoTheCat · 19/07/2017 14:27

Why don't you just get a blood test done (I imagine it would have to be done privately, but I doubt it's particularly expensive), to see if you've ever had toxoplasmosis. (I think some 60% of French women, for example, have had it because the French tend to eat their red meat less cooked; fewer English women have had toxoplasmosis)

If you have, then you don't need to worry about any of this!

I had a blood test done at the start of my pregnancy and fortunately had already had toxoplasmosis.

juneybean · 19/07/2017 14:50

Is your cat an indoor cat?

It's unlikely your cat is going to pass on toxoplasmosis if she is an indoor cat.

Very impressed by her using a toilet though!! Wish I had thought of this!

archersfan3 · 19/07/2017 15:04

  1. As others have said, it's only if you get it for the first time during pregnancy that it's a problem, so either a) you've already had it or b) your hygiene so far has been good enough to stop you getting it.

  2. Hopefully you won't be TTC for long, but it took us years and it really wouldn't have helped to be trying to avoid the cat all that time.

  3. If your cat goes in the toilet and you sort it out straight away this is a lower risk of infection because the eggs need at least a day to mature so absolutely fresh faeces are less of a risk.
    microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Toxoplasmosis

  4. Once actually pregnant I did get my husband to do the litter tray but still stroked cat etc as normal.

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