Cat urine is both disgusting and harmful to human health. The dangers of cat urine are not always obvious to humans. Like all animal and human waste, this urine carries lots of bacteria that can cause illnesses.
That is why you should wear gloves when cleaning your puppy’s waste and when washing the sponges and mops you used to clean the dirt, no matter how much you adore your fluffy friend.
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How cat urine and feces can be dangerous to humans
It is easy for people to assume that cleaning the urine stain will eliminate germs and that the lingering odor is a harmless nuisance.
That is incorrect because the odors have lots of microscopic particles that cause the smell in the first place.
When you inhale animal urine smell, you are inhaling the urine itself. But that is not all. Breathing in cat urine odor has various health effects, including:
1. Respiratory problems
Cat urine contains ammonia, which irritates the lungs when inhaled. When you breathe in large amounts of ammonia, you will feel like your lungs are burning.
This can also cause a burning sensation in the throat, nose, and respiratory tracts. Prolonged exposure to ammonia can cause skin and eye irritation.
2. Bacterial infection
You can get sick from cat feces because they carry the toxoplasma gondii parasite and E-coli from the cat’s intestines.
Both the parasite and the bacteria pass through feces, and when you touch it, you can suffer from a bacterial infection or other diseases like toxoplasmosis, especially if you have a weak immune system or are pregnant.
3. Campylobacter infection
One of the many diseases you can get from cat feces is Campylobacter infection.
You can catch it if you handle cat feces without gloves and fail to wash your hands with soap, water, or disinfectant.
The best way of avoiding it is to use a scooper and wash your hands immediately.
How to avoid catching diseases from cat urine and feces
You can avoid the health effects of breathing in cat feces or urine through the following methods:
1. Clean the cat litter box frequently
The best way of preventing smells from the litter box is to clean it constantly. Start by scooping the box out twice a day.
That also includes removing the liquid clumps and solids, especially if you are using a clumping litter. If this sounds like too much work, consider using a self-cleaning litterbox.
2. Replace the litter occasionally
Scooping twice a week is not enough to eliminate odors. If you forget a tiny matter or cat poop, it will smell over time.
One way to avoid these odors is to use cat litter for odor control, preventing cat waste smell from leaking out.
You can also avoid smells by dumping the litter, washing and disinfecting the box, drying it, and putting in fresh litter.
You can also use To leave the box clean and disinfected; you can clean it using quality enzyme cleaners for cats.
3. Use deodorizers
Consider using a deodorizer or baking soda in the litter box to keep it fresh and prevent you from smelling cat urine fumes.
Keep your family safe and healthy
The health effects of breathing in cat urine odor include respiratory problems, bacterial infection, toxoplasmosis, and Campylobacter Infection.
You can prevent these by cleaning the litter box constantly, replacing it occasionally, and using deodorizers to prevent the smell of urine or faces.
When scooping cat poop, always use a proper scooper or wear gloves. Afterward, clean your hands with soap and water or a disinfectant.