Do you wash your hands everyone you touch your cat?

[NeedACleverNN]

With regards to animals there always seem to be the response of make sure you wash your hands after you have touched your cat or dog or rabbit whatever.

If I washed my hands every time I touched my cat I would have no skin left!!

The only time I really wash my hands is understandably after I have done her litter tray.

If you say to one of mine "kisses brucie" he gives you a kiss, the other one looks at you as if your stupid if you ask.

So no I dont wash my hands when Ive touched them.

Only if I'm cooking or putting away clean dishes. Cat tends to wind round my legs when cooking so I stroke him without thinking then have to wash my hands again before touching food. About four times in half an hour on average!

No way, and sometimes I find little dusty footprints on my (dark coloured) sofa, meaning he's jumped up there with slightly pissy paws. I can vacuum the dusty prints, but getting someone in to clean the sofa once a week? Bugger that!

No I don't or I'd spend my life washing my hands!

After litter tray and before handling food, but I'd be constantly washing my hands if I did it every time. Can't walk past without giving a stroke or a little rub under the chin 😺

I have a Velcro kitten so I'd be constantly washing!

After the litter tray and before cooking.

Nah. They get on and into everything and sit on me every chance they get, it would be pointless. The first thing they do after I've cleaned the house is roll around and rub their faces on everything. I wash my hands before doing anything to do with food and frequently throughout the day though.

This seems odd now I've thought about it but I wash my hands after touching other people's pets.

Not normally, but before making or eating food.

If I'm in my kitchen for work reasons I have to have the cats and kids out, dettol wiped surfaces, hair back, hands washed, steam sterilised equipment, etc. to meet the food hygiene requirements.

I have 15 cats - I'd have no hands left!

Only if I'm about to cook or have cleaned their tray. I'm like Milk, I pet my cats whenever I see them, so I'd be washing my hands every 10 minutes. They're allowed all over the house (one is on my lap in bed right now ), but not on surfaces that we eat off/prepare food on.

15 cats?! I am so jealous.

really? I think I Am An Idiot

They're all rescues that we or someone else has picked up off the street (I'm not in the uk)

The advice is very standard given to cover all individuals ( including immune compromised) regardless of whether they own pets or not.
If you are over the age of 5, are normally healthy, have had your pets a while then no your probably don't need to wash your hands after stroking your own cats.
However, myself I take immune suppressing drugs so in the clinic I sanitise my hands after touching every patient to protect myself as much as prevent transmission, I wash my hands after every sixth patient and any scratches or bites are throughly scrubbed with hibiscrub. At home I wash my hands a lot, but not after everytime I touch my pets, but I am more careful than I was before I needed these drugs.
You have to balance the advice for your own situation.

That's understandable lone

15 cats?!! A friend of mine has 10 and has said no more!

I am seriously jealous of the 15 cats. We have three.

No, I don't wash my hands every time I touch them, I'd have no skin left either.

They are always about, wanting a head rub or a play or just requiring my attention lap. I'd spend my entire time at the sink.

Well I have 22 cats (probably - give or take and not that I'm playing cat top trumps :) ) so, like Costa, I would have no skin left if I did.

My cats also sit on my worktops, lick my plates clean etc etc and it's never done me any harm.

Nope and I let them go everwhere.
One was lying on the chopping board the other day.

22!!! Your food bill must cost a fortune!

No! I'd never do anything else.

Big fat Zazzles

I've also got a bottle feeding newborn - does she count as two?

No. Just periodically and randomly throughout the day. But mostly before cooking and after going to the loo. Two cats. Somewhat attentive.

Awwwww!!!!!!

How's your sleep pattern right now?

Oooooooh Costa!!!!!! I'm kitten broody!!!!!! Bloody gorgeous!!!!

And no, I don't wash my hands either unless I've done the litter trays. They're very loving cats, and I sometimes feed them a bit of milk off my cereal spoon (I know they shouldn't have it) if they beg me enough, and then carry on using the spoon myself.