I'm pregnant and have question about cat box situation?

Question

I'm 5-6 weeks pregnant. I have a treadmill in my basement and I work out on it for an hour every day. I have a cat and his litter box is in the basement. My husband scoops the litter every day because the cat is about 20 lbs. and the litter box gets really bad, really fast! Anyway, the basement always smells like "cat box" no matter how much the box has been cleaned. I know I'm not supposed to clean out the litter, but is it still bad for me to breathe the air with the smell while I'm working out in there?

I know this sounds gross but I have no way to work out until the weather gets better in the spring and I can go outside.

Answer 1

try switching to a more expensive "clumping" litter - also try one of the boxes that have a cover/lid to them. Also - if your basement is damp, that may be contributing to the smell... if the waste can't dry properly - it won't stop smelling... try getting a dehumidifier. You could also try switching your cat's diet to one of the brands that is for "digestive or urinary health" ... this may help the smell...
My cat box is in the spare bedroom - which is pretty much my walk in closet lol - my husband cleans it daily, and most of the time I can't even smell it.
Working out for 1 hour a day - I don't think will make much difference... but if you are really concerned, ask your doctor.... move the treadmill as far away from the box as necessary - or run a fan so that the smell is circulated and spread out instead of stagnant in the air.

I hope this helps :)
Congrats! and Good Luck!

Answer 2

Toxoplasmosis is not transmitted through the air. You would actually have to come into physical contact with the cat feces and then touch your mouth etc. To be on the safe side, wash your hands thoroughly after every trip to the basement and make sure your husband is thoroughly washing his hands after cleaning the cat box. Too bad you can't move the treadmill elsewhere, or choose some other form of exercise while you are pregnant.

Answer 3

I've been wondering about some nitty-gritty of the cat box issue lately, so I'm going to use your question as an excuse to get around to looking some stuff up...

Reassuring:

"Cats can spread the parasite in their feces only for a few weeks after they are first infected, so if you have (or ever had) a cat that normally spends time outdoors, chances are that it was infected long ago -- and that you were, too. Your veterinarian is a good resource if you have questions about this infection in your cat."

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/pregnancy/healthyhabits/article/noahnet/Pregnancy_BBY_cat_litter

Not reassuring:

"The danger to your baby comes if you are infected for the first time after your baby was conceived, particularly in the first or second trimesters. Only about 15% of pregnant women already have antibodies to toxoplasma. The other 85% are susceptible to a first infection. As it turns out, about 0.4% of pregnant women acquire toxoplasmosis. Even if untreated, only a percentage of mothers will pass the infection on to their babies. The earlier the infection is acquired, the less likely that transmission will occur. However, the earlier the infection, the more likely severe disease will develop. Prompt treatment during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of severe disease in infected babies."

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1644.html

Interesting:

"Felines are a natural host for the parasite and it reproduces in their intestines. A cat may become infected with toxoplasmosis from eating infected prey or undercooked meat, or anything contaminated by the feces of another infected cat. The parasites then form "oocysts" in the cat's gut, and the cat excretes up to 10 million oocysts daily for about a week to ten days. (Oocysts can't be seen with the naked eye, and in most cases you'll have no idea that your cat is sick.)

The oocysts first become infectious 24 hours or so after they're excreted. Under the right conditions, they can live in the soil, sand, or litter and remain infectious for up to 18 months."

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregcomplications/1461.html

The last part is an excellent argument for twice-daily litterbox scooping by all fathers-to-be...

But I did pause and wonder about the relative stinkiness of your cat box. We have two and a box that doesn't bother us. Have you considered better litter? Better food? Even more rigorous cleaning of the box? Then again, mine are nowhere near 20lbs; I might have no idea what I'm talking about there.

Finally: you can get yourself or your cat tested for it. Maybe worth it if you're already getting a blood test for something else; just ask them to tack it on to the test...

Answer 4

It is not necessary to move the litter box for medical reasons (transmission of toxoplasmosis from cat to human). Toxoplasmosis is only transmitted if you have direct contact with the feces of an infected cat. It is one of the few diseases that can be, under certain circumstances, transmitted from cat to human. But it is not transmitted through the air. As long as your husband is cleaning the box, great! Nevertheless, I understand that the smell is bothering you and you might still want to move the box for your own comfort. All the best!

Answer 5

If there's litter dust in the air, you might not want to be breathing it. Either move the litter box, or find another place to work out in. Also, I wouldn't exercise in there after hubby has cleaned out the box. If you MUST exercise, I'd say do it before he cleans it so the dust has time to settle between cleanings.

Answer 6

The dust probably doesn't do much for you, but the issue with pregnancy and cat boxes is the feces. If you are pregnant, you shouldn't change the cat box because you could contract taxoplasmosis from the cat's feces. There wouldn't be any feces in the dust, so I doubt there is a huge risk. Anyone with a catbox is bound to come in contact with the dust - probably more than they realize.

Answer 7

Okay, first off, you don't need to be doing alot of exercising if you are only 5-6 weeks pregnant. It can cause stress on the fetus and cause a miscarriage. It's a good idea to wait until your first dr. appt to get back to exercising. And then to answer your question, I know that the actual litter itself is what is harmful, it can cause "toxoplasmosis", however, the smell of the cat poop, probably isn't the best thing to smell in but i dont think that it is extremely harmful! Don't spray any ari freshners or anything like that....

Answer 8

try putting baking soda in the cat box becasue it elliminates odor. i work at a vet and that's what we do. And actually the reason for not cleaning the litter box is because of toxoplasmosis, a bacteria cat can carry in their feces

Answer 9

You will be fine.......chances are if you were the cleaner of the litter box before you have had exposure to the parasites that cause toxoplasmosis, and it would not do anything to your baby.

Ask your midwife or doctor to test your blood for evidence of past toxoplasmosis infection. The test should be done as early in pregnancy as possible (or, even better, before you conceive), to make it easier to distinguish past exposure from new infection. (Many providers do this test routinely during the first prenatal exam.)

Answer 10

Yes, you can still suffer the effects associated with exposure to cat fecs. Could you find another home for the cat until you deliver?? Or move the treadmill or litterbox?? It is not good for you to be exposed to ANY degree of cat feces or the odor