One of the most serious dangers cat litter poses to humans comes from toxoplasmosis. Cats can harbor the toxoplasma gondii parasite and excrete it in their feces. If you touch that feces, which you probably will if the litter box is full, you could become infected.
Crystalline silica dust, the other ingredient in most clumping litters, is a known carcinogen for both humans and household pets when inhaled. According to OSHA.gov, “Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen.
Minor symptoms from exposure for short periods include queasiness, lightheadedness and headaches. Severe symptoms, from longer periods of exposure, include bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory distress and damage to the lining of the respiratory tract and lungs. Many owners use odor absorbent cat litter.
Having too much litter can cause your cat to dig around more than necessary, which can cause them to accidentally hide their poop. While the poop might be invisible to human eyes, it's noticeable to your cat. If you can't locate and remove it, this may cause your cat to stop using the box altogether.
Cats and parasites in dirty litter boxes
When you have a dirty litter box, it's even easier for a parasite to enter your cat's body and land in its gastrointestinal tract. These infections can be caused by worms or single-celled microorganisms. The symptoms of these ailments can be life-threatening.
Experts recommend cleaning the litter box monthly, but maybe more frequently depending on the number of kitties, the type of litter, your cat's output and health, and your preferences.
Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week. If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks.
After it turns into a solid form, its concentration level increases. Ammonia breathing can lead to respiratory, asthma, and bronchitis health diseases in people. Many other side effects like runny noses, itchy skin, red eyes, rashes are caused due to it.
Keeping your cat's litter box in the bedroom isn't ideal so if you can, move it to a more appropriate part of the house. Although the risks are small, you could become ill if you contract Toxoplasmosis, worms or you're exposed to too much ammonia.
A disorganized and littered environment can have a negative impact on your mental health. For instance, some people find that their anxiety levels increase when their environment is not in the best condition. Litter can also affect your mental health by increasing your stress levels and making it difficult to focus.
What Type of Litter Is Best for Your Cat? The best choice is biodegradable litter because they are made from materials that are safe for cats and the environment. Biodegradable litters include cat litter made from corn cobs, pine pellets, or wheat straw; sand; and paper-based (non-clumping) clumping litters.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis include fever, swollen glands and muscle aches. Most people who become infected with Toxoplasma have no symptoms. If people develop symptoms, they usually begin 1 to 3 weeks after being exposed to the parasite. Symptoms usually last for 2 to 4 weeks.
Litter dust can cause sinus or respiratory flare-ups in both people and cats. While humans can wear masks while cleaning out litter boxes, cats can't.
Most cat owners are familiar with clay and clumping litter. Remember: it's recommended that you ALWAYS wear a mask when scooping litter. As it's likely that dust will float around in the air. That's not something you want to inhale.
However, you must shop wisely and avoid clay, wheat, corn, crystal, and wood clumping litters. These clumping litters pose serious health risks to you and your cat. Breathing in these litters can cause respiratory issues, cancer, and starch-based litters are at risk for deadly mold.
The ammonia smell from cat urine can lead to respiratory problems in humans and cats, such as asthma and allergies. Symptoms can range from nausea and headaches to serious respiratory issues such as pneumonia in sensitive individuals.
Your cat will let you know where they prefer their litter box to be placed – or, to put it more bluntly – they will simply refuse to use a litter box that's in a location they don't like! Possible places where a litter box could go depend on your home but the bathroom, living room or bedroom are all possible options.
Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or death. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause coughing, and nose and throat irritation.
Toxoplasmosis is a common infection that you can catch from the poo of infected cats, or infected meat. It's usually harmless but can cause serious problems in some people.
On one hand, too much litter in your cat's litter box can cause overflow and spillage problems all over your bathroom floor. On the other hand, too little litter in the box can create smelly and messy poo problems when your cat isn't able to dig enough litter to hide their solid waste.
Use a litter scoop to sift out urine clumps and stool and place in a small trash bag. Once all the boxes in your house are scooped, tie off the garbage bag in a knot. To prevent odor and bacterial leakage, double bag your scooped litter. Place in an outside trash can with a tight fitting lid.
Wash the litter box with soap and water. Mix 3/4 cup Clorox® Regular Bleach2 per gallon of water and fill the litter box with the bleach solution, let stand for 5 minutes. Thoroughly rinse the litter box and air dry.