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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Can I keep my cat while I'm pregnant? :(

22 replies

HopeS01 · 08/10/2013 20:33

I have a very beautiful but VERY annoying chocolate British Shorthair. I am 23 weeks pregnant and live alone. My GP and MW keep reminding me how dangerous it is to be cleaning the cat litter tray.
Oscar, my cat, was a house cat for 3 years and I've only been letting him out for 3 months now that I have a yard (I live in central London) so he still uses a litter tray inside. He has very recently developed a terrible habit... If he has used his litter tray (even for a wee) he will p** on the floor!! Angry I don't always have a chance to clean it before he uses the floor because I'm at work 8-6...
Anyway, it's driving me mad!! I'm cleaning the litter tray 3/4 times a day, AND picking ps up off the floor. It's frustrating me to tears maybe the hormones but should I be more concerned about Toxoplasmosis infection.
Would you recommend finding a family friend or relative to take him for a while? I really don't know what to do..... Please help

OP posts:
3MenAndMe · 08/10/2013 20:44

Don't worry, as long as you use gloves to clean the tray you will be fine...Anyway, not long ago I've read an article written by a doctor which says that you will have to actually eat the cat poop to get infected, which I'm sure you're not attempting to do.. Wink Just to add I have kitty and 4 momth old, we're fine...

Joopy · 08/10/2013 20:48

Can you have a toxoplasmosis test done? I don't live in the UK but I had one done which showed that I had already had it so I didn't need to worry.

EatingAllTheCrumpets · 08/10/2013 20:52

Gloves and a dust mask and all should be fine also he may not even have picked it up since he's been indoors most of his life.

catsdogsandbabies · 08/10/2013 20:59

Read this and calm down! Us vets have children and deal with lots of poo. Cats are much less risk than undercooked meat.
[http://www.icatcare.org/advice-centre/cat-health/toxoplasmosis-and-cats]

Devora · 08/10/2013 21:01

All over the world women are combining cats with pregnancy. Just glove up, wash your hands and try not to worry Smile

ClaraOswald · 08/10/2013 21:10

You are more likely to pick up toxoplasmosis from raw meat that from cat shit. Plus, IF you were going to get it you would have been infected well before now.

cozietoesie · 08/10/2013 21:11

Oh - and get an extra tray. They're only cheap and it can be a life saver if you've got a fussy one and you're out a lot of the day. (Seniorboy has two all to himself.)

Soontobemama · 08/10/2013 21:13

I cleaned my cats litter trays all through my pregnancy and my baby is fine. I'm sure you practice good hygiene anyway.

moonbells · 08/10/2013 21:46

My DH worked abroad for a large part of my pregnancy and so I got loads of one-use gloves and got on with it!

Just don't be tempted if you have no gloves. And bio washing powder the floor where your cat poos. Should kill the smell.

Best of luck!

timtam23 · 08/10/2013 23:06

I was told that the toxoplasmosis risk from litter tray cat poo in the UK is pretty low (unlike France, apparently, where more cats have had toxoplasmosis infection)
I had a toxo screen done in my 1st pregnancy as I was a bit concerned - had had my cats for 13 years, litter trays for all of that time and I tested negative for toxo - initially was worried that I was then at risk from the cats but sensible midwife pointed out that maybe the cats didn't have it (as after 13 years, she'd have expected me to have caught toxoplasmosis from the cats at some point, if they had been affected)

I cleaned out the litter tray all through both pregnancies but wore disposable gloves and obviously always washed my hands afterwards as well

Lonecatwithkitten · 08/10/2013 23:12

Like catsdogsandbabies I positively swam in poo whilst pregnant . In my practice having to do manual evacuations on cats is fairly common, plus I did large animal work till I was 6 months pregnant. We did the risk assessment disposable gloves and thorough hand washing reduced the risk to virtually minimal.

ZebraOwl · 08/10/2013 23:52

I second the suggestion of getting another tray to hopefully sort out his floor-piddling antics...

Original poster
HopeS01 · 09/10/2013 10:36

Thanks everyone :)
The second litter tray is a good suggestion, he already has two (one inside and one outside) so I'll leave them both in and see if the situation improves.

I'm vegetarian so no risk of infection through raw meat but thanks for the info nevertheless.

I use gloves and, of course, always wash my hands. It puts me at ease to hear how relaxed you all are about it :)

Thanks!!

OP posts:
SingingSands · 09/10/2013 10:42

Hi, you've got plenty of good advice here, but I just had a thought about litter trays - would a covered litter tray help stop your boy piddling on the floor? Our youngest cat sometimes hangs her bum over the side of her tray to wee, and my friend suggested I buy a covered tray. Simple, but I'd never thought of it!

ZebraOwl · 09/10/2013 11:48

Oooh, yes, I'd try bringing outside one in, especially with the weather being on the turn, al fresco toileting's going to seem less appealing & he might be having problems out there with other cats/foxes or something.

It does seem a bit as though some healthcare professionals don't understand the actual risk levels involved & thus cause mothers-to-be any awful lot of unnecessary [di]stress Sad

sashh · 09/10/2013 12:32

You will be fine.

Use gloves as said, or you can even get disposable litter trays.

If your cat is going out now try him/her without a tray (do it one day you are home) you might be pleasantly surprised.

Original poster
HopeS01 · 09/10/2013 20:17

Hi Singing, I've tried him with the covered trays but he won't even go inside sigh :( thanks for the thought though.

Zebra, I agree, a lot of unnecessary worry... I think my GP/MW thinks my cat is disposable Hmm.

Sashh, if I take the litter tray away he poos on the floor Blush, even if I'm there desperately calling him outside.

Guess I'll keep trying with the 2 litter trays
Smile

OP posts:
ZebraOwl · 10/10/2013 00:11

Gah, that is really pretty poor. And of course, while you knew to come here & ask & have now been reassured you'll be grand, how many people will just have assumed the GP/MW knew what they were on about & got rid of their cat? Sad Is definitely one of those pregnancy myths that needs busting, I think!

Good luck with the two-trays Smile

Caitlin17 · 10/10/2013 01:12

Unless you have been in the habit of cleaning the littered with your bare hands which you don't then wash you have nothing to worry about.

If however you have been in the habit of cleaning the tray that way keeping the cats is the least of your problems!

There will almost certainly be someone at your ante natal class who will give you a hard time about this, ignore them.

ThatVikRinA22 · 10/10/2013 01:37

i had 2 cats through 2 pregnancies - it truly amazes me that people jump to pg = get rid of cat!

the answer is more litter trays and rubber gloves. simple. no need to get rid of your pets at all.
people who think this should not own a pet until all children have been born, raised and flown the nest.
ridiculous argument for getting shut of pets. ive had cats/dogs/rabbits/guinea pigs/rats/ hamsters all with absolutely no ill effects on offspring.

catameringue · 10/10/2013 13:19

Hi,
Im pregnant. I have 3 indoor cats.

I got my cats using hooded trays by removing the door flap from them. I use nappy bags, gloves and proper anti bac soap when I have to do the deed. I got the soap from chemist its like hospital soap.
I do get my dh to do tray but that's cos I'm lazy. If you've been around cats for years you're probably fine.

My main concern is how to manage 3 cats when sprog is here. I suspect I may boot them outside.

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