Here is some information on the health effects of cat litter on humans. For most people the litter box is completely harmless, though it can occasionally be a bit of a hassle to deal with. However for people who are pregnant or have a compromised immune system there are possible health issues that could arise from dealing with cat litter.

The primary thing that most people are concerned about when it comes to cat litter is toxoplasmosis. People can contract toxoplasmosis by handling cat feces. There are a wide range of birth defects that can arise from toxoplasmosis including stillbirth, miscarriage, or even schizophrenia. However the good news is that you can get your cat tested for toxoplasmosis. This means you can take your cat to the vet and they can run tests on the cat to determine if the cat has toxoplasmosis or not.

Toxoplasmosis is very rare so chances are that your cat does not have it. Once you find out that your cat doesn’t have toxoplasmosis keep them indoors for the duration of your pregnancy and neither you nor your cat should contract toxoplasmosis.

Even if you aren’t worried about getting toxoplasmosis you still should handle the litter box with care. You really want to make sure you are maintaining an immaculate litter box. It is good to change your litter box about once every six months. There are a lot of different kinds of litter that you can choose from. You should change all of the litter every week, as well as scoop once a day to cut down the amount of bacteria in the box. When fully cleaning once a week use bleach solution to kill all of the bacteria. Really scrub the litter box down. You can also leave it outdoors in the sun to let it dry the sun is also a great cleaner and killer of bacteria.

Having a clean cat litter box will minimize any negative health effects for you as well as your cat.

Filed under: Cat Diseases

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