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Original poster

Cat has done a poo in the bath

26 replies

chloemegjess · 26/11/2008 23:59

HI. I have 3 cats and I have no idea which one is doing it. It has happened about 3 times in the last few weeks.

What do I do? And I am worried that they have been doing wee in the bath and we haven't noticed!!! OR would it be obvious? My DD is usually the first in the bath so she would be in with the wee! I always at least rinse the bath before use but still feel really gross.

DH washed all the poo out and then put some water with sterilizing tablets in.

I am pregnant too so don't really want to be near cat poo as I know it is a big risk.

OP posts:

differentID · 27/11/2008 00:02

I wouldn't worry too much about the cat poo thing- if you have had cats for a long time, then you are highly likely to have already caught toxoplasmosis(sp?)and suffed no ill effects.
Have there been any other signs in the house/ could it be a new marauding cat in your area getting in?

Original poster

chloemegjess · 27/11/2008 00:11

NO, I really don't think my cats would allow another cat in, they are very protective even of the garden. I have only had cats for about 2 years. They are all still young.

One cat is Persian and we had a complete nightmare with her weeing on the carpet for a long time but thought we conquered that when we took away litter trays (just tried them without and they all went outside on the gras so didn't ever replace them). But I caught her about 2 weeks ago doing a wee on my carpet!!!

Is it really nothing to worry about being near cat poo when pregnant? All the midwives really lectured me when preg with DD to never touch the litter trays etc.

OP posts:

differentID · 27/11/2008 00:23

Cat faeces can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, an infection that isn't serious for you, but might be dangerous for your developing baby. Eating raw, cured or undercooked meat is the most common source of this infection, (Cook et al 2000) but cat faeces can also pose a possible risk.

If you have a pet cat, or you've had them in the past, it's possible that you've already been exposed to the infection (although you may not have realised it at the time) and are therefore immune to it.

Although only about 10 to 25 per cent of women in the UK are immune to toxoplasmosis before getting pregnant, your odds of contracting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy are low (NCCWCH 2008: 202). It's estimated that only about 1 in 500 pregnant women in the UK - about 2,000 women a year - are infected during their pregnancy (Tommy's n.d.).

differentID · 27/11/2008 00:23

sorry- I cut and pasted that.

bella29 · 27/11/2008 09:34

Wow - I was well impressed there, differentID! I did know most cat owners are immune but I didn't have all those facts & figures

Perhaps if they had a litter tray they wouldn't do it in the bath?

Good luck!

girlywhirly · 27/11/2008 09:58

Several things could be happening here; the culprit could have detected the scent of, or been disturbed by, a more dominant cat in the garden during toileting, and is now preferring the nice safe bath indoors. Or the culprit isn't getting on well with the others at home, and is making a statement of dominance, "this is my territory keep off"

It could be linked to the persian weeing on the carpet. Make sure you use special cleaning agents that will not attract cats back to soil the same spot, as some smell like the compounds in urine (to cats) Biological washing powder solution can be used on carpets, and also in the bath, the enzymatic action will digest all the organic substances. Rinse bath well before using.

You might be able to restore harmony by using a Feliway diffuser or spray, (synthetic cat feel-good hormones) if the cats are stressed. Another thing I would suggest is to make sure they all have enough access to areas in the home where they can "escape" from each other and children.

Regarding the parasite problem, I used to clean out litter trays while pregnant, I always wore a mask ( a dust mask from DIY stores) to avoid inhaling dust from dirty litter and rubber gloves, washing hands well after, the risk is very low this way.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 27/11/2008 10:56

With the litter trays, I only really want to go back to them if I am really desperate, as a last resort. It was awful when we had them. We ended up having 5 trays which was the only way to get them to go in them without fighting and I needed to clean them everytime one went for a wee or poo. And I now have a crawling baby and I am a childminder so can't have them around anyway. AND the house STUNK when we had them, no matter how much we cleaned them, you could smell it as soon as you walked through the door.

OP posts:

piratecat · 27/11/2008 11:04

sometimes cats can't be bothered to go out it the wet weather to wee/poo/ Like my cat!! I have to throw her out.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 27/11/2008 12:21

Yes it did cross my mind about the wet weather. Can't throw them out as they come straight back in through the cat flap! I guess I could put her out the front a couple of times a day. She knows how to get round the back where the cat flap is but hopefully when passing through the garden she will go to the loo. But that is IF I am accussing the right cat here!!

I wouldn't throw my little black and white one out as she gets really freaked out if she can't get back in straight away. Took weeks to get her used to me closing the back door and that had a cat flap!

OP posts:

OhYouBadBadKitten · 27/11/2008 12:53

I had a test to see if I was immune to toxo when I was pregnant as I was a fosterer for cats protection. I was

Original poster

chloemegjess · 27/11/2008 13:13

Really, didn't know there was a test. But I am not asking for one as I am needle phobic!

OP posts:

Dropdeadfred · 27/11/2008 13:17

i read somewhere that ammonia in cleaning products can make pets think that cleaned places are tiolets....possibility?

bella29 · 27/11/2008 15:04

That's true, but probably also worth stating while I'm here that any disinfectant that goes cloudy in water (Dettol, TCP, Jeyes fluid etc) is toxic to cats, even when rinsed away.

I've never found smelly litter trays a problem but I do clean them out and remove the lumps at least twice a day. I find clumping litter is best as otherwise the wee just stays in the litter tray

I, too, cleaned litter trays whilst pregnant and my dc, despite a few behavioural issues are fine.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 27/11/2008 22:28

I am really annoyed with them today. I try not to but it is getting worse and I just have enough to deal with.

This morning - there was WEE in the bath, left it to see what it would look like in half an hour and you couldn't even see it was there. Which means they probably have done it before and we hadn't noticed!!! I just rinsed with water (for now - will clean better before use) and used the fleliway spray. Didn't put it in the actual bath as it is cleaned at least daily but sprayed on the tiles, bath mat and general area.

Went out in the afternoon, came back tonight and there was poo on the (white) bathmat - next to the bath, which actually had the fleliway spray on? The mat and the non slip bath mat that goes in the bath are now both in the washing machine.

What am I meant to do? I don't want this every day! And it wasn't raining outside so they could have gone outside.

And what should I clean the bath with? If the cleaning stuff is going to make them go, how do I make sure the bath is thoughly clean and hyginic but not attrach the cats to use it as a loo?

My DD needs to use this bath and I don't want her in it if it is dirty, and we will have a newborn soon!

PLease help if you have any ideas!

OP posts:

girlywhirly · 28/11/2008 12:36

You say you are a childminder, is it possible the children are the cause of the cats anxiety? That is, the cats are afraid to approach and go through the catflap because the children are there, and then do it in the bathroom as a protest?

You could try emailing the experts at [email protected] (Your Cat magazine) They will take a few days to reply, but this sounds like a serious behaviour issue now and they have a cat behaviour specialist vet they can refer the problem to. You will need to give a detailed history of the problem, and of your home, including the people living there and any other factors, such as the mindees, neighbours cats/dogs etc.

I think biological washing solution will do the job of cleaning the bath.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 28/11/2008 12:57

No, I am a new CM so not really up and running yet. I have one mindee for 9 hours a week and my cat (the one I think it is) loved her and follows her everywhere. The girl is quite quiet and will happily sit and stroke her. So if anything, she is a good thing as she gives her some extra attention.

Will email that address later on when I have some time, just popped on for 5 mins.

Thanks for the help

This morning there is big puddle of wee on the floor and some poo next to it.

OP posts:

Lovesdogsandcats · 28/11/2008 14:34

you are only at risk if the cats have worms. If they are wormed you are ok.

One of mine used to do this, and in the sink. They love the feel of porcelain.

The only thing that works is keeping the litter tray clean and keeping oa tray in the bathroom for a time, to get them out of the habit of doing it in the bath.(I never actually tried this, but there is one in there now for new cat)

On the other hand mine never got out of the habit...

bodiddly · 28/11/2008 14:42

one of my oriental cats has gone in the bath a couple of times .. usually when he is in a bad mood with us. The other consistently goes just outside the litter tray if he cant get outside (we lock them in at night). Nightmare!

bella29 · 28/11/2008 18:44

Don't worry too much about not having noticed the urine - unless they have a urine infection the urine is sterile anyway. Not what one would choose to bathe in, I agree, but not a health hazard.

I think you probably need to bring the litter trays back.

Original poster

chloemegjess · 28/11/2008 21:29

If we didn't have problems with the litter trays, I would be more than happy to bring them back. But seriously, I can't describe the trouble we had before we got rid of the trays. That was far worse and this is nothing compared to it. And I am not allowed them in the rooms where I childmind, which is all of downstairs and in our room. The cats don't go in DDs room - not that I would want it in there anyway so this doesn't leave anywhere even if we wanted them.

I might just try shutting them out of the bathroom and see if that does the trick. Just hope they don't just find a new spot that isn't so easy to clean!

OP posts:

Yurtgirl · 28/11/2008 22:03

Sorry if this sounds facetious (I bet that is spelt wrong!) but why not just get into the habit of shutting the bathroom door?

Original poster

chloemegjess · 28/11/2008 22:42

Yes, if you read the message above by me then you will see i had said we are going to do that but worry they will find a spot less easy to clean like a carpet etc.

OP posts:

Yurtgirl · 28/11/2008 22:45

Sorry - it was a crossed post!

We have recently got guinea pigs that would do goodnees knows what if we let them - they have a run about every day but I cordon off where they are allowed to go iyswim

I was struggling to understand why you didnt think of shutting the bathroom door earlier

Could it be some sort of psychological reason the cat has started to do this? Some sort of stress? Just a thought

Yurtgirl · 28/11/2008 22:46

actually not a crossed post - just me not reading the most recent post!

hellymelly · 28/11/2008 22:50

I had a friend whose cat would wee in the loo,sitting on the seat!!! but she couldn't manage to poo like that so if it was very wet or she was shut in she would do the business in the bath,over the plughole.Rather considerate I thought,as you can flush it down the loo and then rinse the bath with a bit of bleach.
You will be fine re:toxoplasmosis as long as you really sloosh the bath out afterwards and you wear rubber gloves.You can't catch it from wee.

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