Cats & Kids?

Question

I have a wonderful 11 month old crawling little boy. My husband and I recently got a 5 month old cat to ward off the potential of rodents getting in the house, which actually happened this past January and I can't let it happen again for the safety of my son. However, it BOTHERS me deeply the very thought that this animal, who sifts through it's own defecate in his litter box, will be sharing a playing floor with my baby. I feel like I'm the only one who thinks about the thousands of disgusting germs being transfered from his crap box to my baby on a daily basis. Not to mention my counters, tables, seating areas, it seems everything will now become as filth-infested as a litter box. My husband says I should just get over this, as many households have children and animals. I'm very stressed out, and feeling like I've "swallowed a horse to catch the fly". I don't want to get rid of the kitty, as we've put a lot of money into making him strictly a house cat. Can anyone relate and help me?

Also, it might not have bothered me as much, if we didn't recently find out the cat might have contracted a parasite, as he was having diarrhea. He'd been treated for whatever it was, (the vet's tests were inconclusive) but I'm also afraid that even though I've cleaned my house, my cat or my son may pick up whatever it was that made the kitty sick in the first place. I reiterate; the cat is strictly indoor, and I even have that plastic mat that supposedly reduces the amount of litter being tracked around the house. Obviously, I don't keep the litter box directly next to my child's play area. Yet, I'm still not at ease. What can I do to get there?

Answer 1

Of course I can relate. Here are my suggestions:

1. Clean the litter box often. Replace all of the litter regularly.
2. There is a little rug you can buy for in front of the litter box. It very effectively wipes the cat's paws as it exits the litter box.
3. Use super litter--the crystal kind or the cedar bark kind--kind that clumps really well. The cat doesn't want to play with the clump, only the litter (they grow out of that).
4. I do hope you've got the litter box out of baby's reach.
5. Remember, the average age for a baby to walk is 1 year. So he won't be spending as much time on the floor in just a short time.

Anywhere you don't want him to jump either put down double-sided tape for a week or so, or arrange cannisters, etc. on the edge of the cabinet. A cat won't jump up onto a space he believes is occupied.

TX Cat mama
not an expert

Answer 2

You are obviously a first-time mother, and I don't know that I can do anything to help, as you seem to have an extreme "germophobia". I have two kids, 2 cats (3 when the kids were babies), a dog, and a ferrett. My boys have both always been extremely healthy, and have never suffered any ill effects from living with the animals. My main worry is that your cat may not help the rodent problem, even when I had 3 cats, the mice came into my house every year. I don't know whether the cats where lazy, or the mice brave, but the only thing that ever worked for the mice is D-Con. Put it in your cupboards and put child-proof locks on the doors.
As far as kitty germs, believe me, your son will get into far worse messes as he gets older! They are a lot stronger than you think, and they need to be exposed to some germs to build immunities.

Answer 3

I understand your point of view. Dogs go outside. some cats do, but yours and mine stay in the house. My cats have all there shots. I have 2 cat boxes for 2 cats. They get cleaned every time I see anything in there boxes. and the hole litter box gets changed every 2 days. I have a mat under there boxes. But I do understand about counters, tables, chairs and so. I am always cleaning. Any time I cook, my counters are cleaned, just like I rinse my pans, you never know if there fur gets in there. Table, washed after and before eating every time. All bedding, cats, and kids get washed every week. If your cat is a short hair, you should not have as many problems if it was long hair like I have. He, well gotta love him.

Answer 4

Remember, cats are veryyyy clean animals. They clean themselves very thoroughly. I don't really think they're 'shifting through their own defecate", they aren't actually sitting there playing with their poop (if he is, you have a weird cat). Also, they are taking the LITTER and putting it over their remains. If you keep your litter box clean (as I assume you do) there shouldn't really be much contact with the paws and remains.

Answer 5

I think you have the beginnings of a germ phobia. Sorry, but I think you should find a new home for the cat and deal with your mouse problem another way. The cat can also get parasites from the mice it catches.

Answer 6

Yeah but no, it kind of sound like you are being a germaphobe. If you clean your home properly you should have nothing to worry about.