Dangers Of Litter Boxes In Bedrooms - Get Rid Of That Smelly Litter Tray

In this article you’re going to learn the danger of litter boxes in bedrooms

You’ll discover why it’s dangerous to keep a litter box in the bedroom

You’ll also learn what is the best litter box to have IF you need to keep the litter box in your bedroom

One that is safe for your cat, you and your family

So if you want to keep a litter box in your bedroom but want the very best and safe possible one then you’re in the right place

Carry on reading to discover it all

Let’s get started!

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Why The Litter Tray Is Dangerous In The Bedroom

Your cats litter box are an important part of having a cat.

Cats are by nature, incredibly clean animals and will spend up to one third of their lifetime laboriously and meticulously cleaning themselves.

Unfortunately, there are health risks associated with soiled cat litter and although the health risks to most people are minimal, to pregnant women and other vulnerable people including children and the elderly, they are very significant and should be recognized by cat owners.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that comes from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite – one of the world’s most common parasites.

Cats excrete the organism and this can be spread through the air when you scoop out dirty cat litter or change the cat litter – and this can have harmful effects.

Cats also excrete the eggs of other parasites like roundworms and these too can affect humans.

Can Toxoplasmosis In Cat Litter Harm People?

Toxoplasmosis can make a number of people really ill. children are very vulnerable and can be easily affected and get really sick.

For pregnant women, there are significant risks too, as Toxoplasmosis can cause complications in pregnancy – including an increase in the risk of miscarriage- and Toxoplasmosis has also been linked to some birth defects.

Other vulnerable people include those with a weakened immune system – such as those with HIV or having chemotherapy or people who have recently had surgery.

The only way to minimize the risk is to remove your cat’s poo every single day and to remove it very carefully.

The parasite often takes several days to develop once it has been excreted by your cat, so ensuring that you diligently clean the cat litter tray daily will certainly minimize the risk of infection.

Now I know what you’re thinking

Removing cat poo everyday – basically cleaning the litter box every single day is not easy

Especially when you are working all day and then have to deal with the children

There’s so much to do!

Not to worry because I’m going to reveal to you this awesome litter box that is going to make your life a whole lot easier

How Can Dirty Cat Litter Be Dealt With?

It is best that vulnerable people in your household do not go near any cat litter boxes and certainly do not scoop out cat poo or change the cat litter.

If you are healthy then you must assume the role of Chief Cat Litter Cleaner!

Be careful how you clean the cat litter so that dust is minimized at all times.

It is important to remember that any parasites carried by the air can survive for several days on various types of surface.

Once you have cleaned the cat litter, dispose of it carefully. It is best to use a double-lined bag, or two carrier bags, one inside the other to provide the necessary strength.

Tie the bag(s) really securely and dispose of them in the rubbish bin outside immediately.

Make sure that other cats cannot get to the bags to rip them open.

Never flush clumping cat litter down your toilet as it will probably cause problems with your plumbing – or septic tank.

An important point to remember is that the cat litter could contain parasites so by flushing it down the toilet, you could contaminate the water supply as these parasites have been proven to be resistant to the chemicals used in water treatment plants.

Once you have dealt with the soiled cat litter, give your hands a really thoroughly wash with soap and water.

It is a good idea to change your clothes too, as it really does pay to be careful- especially if you have a vulnerable person in your family.

Automatic Robotic Self Cleaning Litter Boxes

If you use a Robotic self cleaning litter box then your cats box will always be clean and therefore it will increase the chance that they use it, see how these work here…

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Is It Dangerous To Have a Litter Box In My Bedroom?

Having read the information above, you will have realized that keeping a cat litter tray in the bedroom is not a good idea – but if you do have to locate a tray in a bedroom, an adult’s bedroom is best.

If you live in a small apartment – you sometimes have no choice

Or maybe your cat loves to snuggle with you at night and keeping a litter box in your bedroom makes it easier for your cat at night

Last thing you want is to wake up in a puddle of urine on the floor – or even worse on your bed!

I certainly don’t want to find cat poo in the corner of my bedroom

The smell of cat urine or cat poo will drive me insane! I’m sure you’d feel the same too!

There’s no need to worry because you can keep a litter box in your bedroom

You just have to make sure it’s safe enough

Which litter box would be best for your bedroom you ask?

Let’s find out

Best Litter Box For Bedroom (That’s Safe For You And Your Cat)

Before we look at which litter box is best for your bedroom

Let’s look at some way to reduce any health risk

Here are some great precautionary steps to follow

Keep the litter box as far from your bed as possible. This will make changing the cat litter easier and reduce the chance of airborne particles landing on your bedding or bedside table and reduce the effects of the smell of ammonia. A huge bonus is if the cat litter tray is tucked out of the way, you are less likely to fall over it in the night so this reduces the tripping hazard factor too.
If you do have to have the litter tray somewhere that means it is a trip hazard, it is best to illuminate it at night with a child’s safety night as this will remind you about the litter tray.
As suggested, use a type of cat litter tray that will reduce the dust or use items of furniture to try and contain the dust to reduce health risks. These will make scooping the poo more difficult, but this must not be avoided as it is essential it is done EVERY day.

So what is the best litter box you can use for your bedroom that is safe and you won’t have to EVER scoop litter again?

Automatic Robotic Litter Boxes

There are robotic “self cleaning” litter box options that keep your room free from smells and safer from dangers…

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Drum roll please…

Leo’s Loo Too Covered Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

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This is a fully automated self-cleaning litter box which is great in minimizing any health risk a litter box would normally do.

It comes in a very good size

But the important point is that as soon as your cat uses the Litter Robot, any waste is dealt with quickly and effectively automatically – you need never scoop any cat poo again!

Imagine, you don’t have to ever clean the litter box again?

It’s basically done for you as soon as your cat uses it

That means no smell of cat urine or cat poo

It’s very safe because the litter box is kept clean all the time

I don’t want to go into too much detail because I have written a very in-depth review of this awesome litter box

You can check it out by clicking the link below

Litter Robot 3 Review

Here’s a video showing the Litter Robot in action

Can Cat Litter Be Harmful To Humans?

As we have mentioned, humans are at risk of various parasite infections from dirty cat litter.

The most dangerous is Toxoplasma gondii but hook work, ring worm and roundworm are others.

There are several bacterial infections that you can catch from cat poo and urine and these are ‘cat scratch fever’ and Salmonellosis – and both of these can be prevented by having a good cat litter cleaning routine in place.

It is also possible to suffer from an overexposure to ammonia. Cats urine and poo produces ammonia which as well as smelling dreadful is in fact a toxic gas.

Its effects can range from nausea and headaches to respiratory problems and once again, ammonia can have serious consequences for children, the elderly and other vulnerable people including those with a weakened immune system.

Is Breathing In Cat Litter Bad?

Breathing in any dust from the cat litter is certainly not good for you as it can lead to any of the infections we have mentioned – especially an exposure to ammonia.

It really is best to minimize the dust you cause when scooping poo and urine clumps of cat litter from the tray.

Always wash your hands well, change your clothes and ensure that adjacent surfaces are clean to minimize the risks.

You need to get cat litter that is free of dust…

No products found.

The best one out there that I would recommend is..

Pretty Litter

Pretty Litter defines it’s self as “the worlds smartest cat litter” and “Health monitoring litter that won’t break your back, or the bank”.

Tracks potential illnesses in your cats – the litter changes colour to tell you when your cat has a health issue that needs dealt with.

No more litter box smell – traps odor instantly and then eliminates moisture, so you’ll never smell your cat’s dirty business again.

Scoop your cats poop less – no one likes doing it and now you don’t have to.

Refill just ONCE per month – no longer do you need to refill the box daily!

Cat litter delivered to your door – so you never run out and have to improvise.

Cleaner and safer litter – is 99% dust free and household friendly.

Over 20,000 customer reviews – so you know you’re getting a trusted and loved product.

Does Dirty Cat Litter Pose a Health Risk To My Cat?

The answer is a huge YES.

Your cat may well not want to use a soiled litter tray and when this happens, cats will either find an alternative toilet such as a houseplant, the bath or pile of dirty clothes, or they will ‘cork it’ meaning that they will try to stop needing to use their litter tray for as long as possible.

The trouble is that when a cat does this, they can often trigger one of a variety of urinary tract infections which will be painful for your cat and expensive for you.

Where Should a Litter Box Go – The Best Places To Put It

You need to have a different cat litter tray for each cat and if your house is large, you need to have a litter tray on each floor.

Cats are very private and will not want to be viewed using their litter tray by another cat so you will need to place the trays well apart and also nowhere near their feeding bowls.

Cats prefer peace and quiet when they are using their litter tray, so a main thoroughfare in your home will not be ideal – you will soon know as your cat will start using the bath or your dirty linen pile for their toilet.

Don’t place your litter tray near a noisy washing machine as your cat is likely to find this off-putting.

Popular places for litter trays include kitchens, bathrooms and basements with tiled easy clean floors.

If you have a small apartment and struggle to find a spot for the litter box then you should check out my article

Where to put cat litter box in a small apartment

A Cat Litter Box In Your Bedroom Is Dangerous

Having a cat who uses a cat litter box does pose a health risk and it is important to be aware of this and to safeguard vulnerable people in your household.

Ensure that you scoop the poo from the litter box every single day and do so really carefully so that you do not create any dust.

If there is a risk of this, wipe down adjacent surfaces using disinfectant wipes.

When you have scooped the poo or changed the cat litter tray(s) make sure that you wash your hands really thoroughly and change your clothing too.

This may sound a little ‘over the top’ but you want to keep your family happy and healthy – and enjoy having a cat too.