Husband blaming cats for upset stomach?

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

H has always had dodgy guts but is now claiming they are fine when he’s away from home and has now come to the conclusion that it’s the cats and/or dog. He never touches the litter tray, and nobody else is affected. When I point out that he was like this we met but he claims it is ‘much worse’ now.

I’ve told him there’s so way I’m rehoming the animals, so asked what else we can do to reduce this but he is adamant it’s because ‘the cats walk through shit and then jump on the table’. I’ve said if we got a cat flap fitted we wouldn’t necessarily need the litter tray indoors but he won’t consider it because of ‘insurance’.

I’ve looked it up and you generally only pick up infections via the faecal oral route and generally the kind of bacteria he thinks he’s picking up aren’t air borne. So if it’s the cats it’s more a him hygiene issue.

Any ideas on how I can change his views? Or improve hygeine?

I’ve worked in a cattery for 4 years and I’ve never got a stomach upset. My work colleague caught something from a goat but his hygiene is shocking . So I’d take a guess and say your DHs hygiene isn’t great or this is something else entirely and he’s using it as an excuse to get rid of the animals .

Very very unlikely.

more likely he is sensitive to something he is eating and it’s just not something he eats away from home

food diary might be helpful

Do you worm them regularly ? Humans can get worms from cats only the infection is self limiting as the parasite cannot reproduce in humans

He needs to do a food elimination diet first.

Does he wash his hands properly, including before he eats and after every toilet trip?

How often does the dog lick him?

Is it possible to rehome DH first? 👀

As a compromise could you keep the cats out of the kitchen? It always amazes me how relaxed people are about having cats on tables and work surfaces. When you suffer with a dodgy stomach you do become more worried about these things and he’s not wrong about cats walking in nasty stuff. Keeping them off the kitchen surfaces would be a good start.

It's not the pets, it's him. Either he has rotten personal hygiene or he has a food intolerance of some sort.

I think @Signalbox has never had cats! Ours is a total pain about being on the table/surfaces, which was a shock because our last cat didn’t really bother and would get down at a sharp uh-uh (at least if we were there) if she ever did. I pretty much have shares in Method and kitchen roll now and just wipe everything down multiple times a day - always before food prep/eating.

I have IBS and frequent flare-ups (which I can generally connect to a “banned food” or stress) and have never even thought it’s related to the cat.

Buy him some Yakult to try. Slightly different but I had terrible painful acid reflux for a long time. A GP told me to try a probiotic drink and it's almost cured my stomach issues after just a few drinks

Who doesn't use a chopping board or clean their worktops immediately before preparing food anyway?

I bet he doesn't even wash his hands after having a shite, he's probably filthier than any cat in your house.

Get the cats off the table and the work surfaces.

It would probably be easier to train the dog not to lick its butt and then not lick her DH ever again.

Of course the dog could also be on the table and/or kitchen surfaces too but they aren't generally known for that particular stunt.

Your DH is talking total male bullshit. I imagine the percentage of adults who genuinely contract anything at all from domestic cats is negligible. And what the hell is he on about with insurance and cat flaps? If anyone needs rehoming it's him. He's a typical man. Don't they just love to blame their woes or inadequacies on something or someone less able to defend themselves. It makes me fucking sick.

Clean the table before eating and the worktops before preparing food and that should surely be enough?
I highly doubt it is the cats. Perhaps there is now a psychosomatic element to it as well, in that he expects to feel fine when he is away from the cats.

I've never bought a home insurance policy where they've asked if I've got a cat flap, what rubbish!

Cats rarely go on the table and are generally kept out of the kitchen, plus we do use antibacterial spray before eating. Yes, the catflap insurance thing is nonsense.

Well you've told him the cats aren't leaving so when is he off?

Catflap thing is bollocks. Letting the cats go out will help the house smell less "catty" (if it does, that might be reminding him to obsess over the issue).

My cat , not fot want of trying on my part, practically lives on the kitchen table and I very rarely get a stomach upset. Your dh is more likely to be irritated by something he eats or drinks at home and doesn't have when he's away. Cats are very clean compared to human hands and money.