Do I need to wear gloves cleaning my cat's chemo litter box?

I think if you are regularly changing the litter you and your cats will be fine. As long as there is not prolonged exposure to urine and feces there is little risk. To further lower the risk to your other cats make sure you are cleaning out the litter box 1-2 times daily and consider adding an additional box to your home if is feasible. It sounds like you are doing your very best and Chester is lucky to have an owner as dedicated as you are!

There is not very much drug residue in the saliva, but we normally recommend against allowing an animal receiving the drug to lick you. I would not worry about a normal wet nose. They have not studied the effect of the drug on other cats in the house, but I would discourage Chester from licking the other cat and may consider keeping them separated if Chester grooms the other cat a lot, but a bite of food woudn't be enough to concern me. There is more drug residue in the urine and stool, so that would be a larger concern. Here is the reference in a drug handbook for this drug. "On the day your animal gets the drug and then for a few days afterward, all bodily waste (urine, feces, litter), blood, or vomit should only be handled while wearing disposable gloves. Seal the waste in a plastic bag and then place both the bag and gloves in with the regular trash." The reason for the double bagging is to have a back up if one bag gets a hole in it and to make sure that the first bag is sealed. I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No, your cat should be fine with normal interaction with you. Some chemo drugs can be excreted through your urine or feces but your cat should not be around this anyways so he should be perfectly safe.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sunday. Your vet is right, good hygiene is key. When you clean the litter box, wear gloves, then throw the gloves away and wash your hands. I would scoop the box at least once a day, and clean it once a week. You can touch and love them. Again, wash your hands afterwards. I hope this helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm so sorry to hear about Luigi! Your vet is correct in saying that chemo is probably not safe to be around for you and your baby. Most chemo is excreted in the urine, which is problematic as Luigi likely uses a litter box. Most chemo agents can be toxic to the bone marrow, which is responsible for making all of the blood cells. This is concerning because white blood cells, which are responsible for preventing infections, are often killed. This can be dangerous to a baby, as their immune systems are not fully developed. You can go to a veterinary oncologist, who specializes in cancers, for a second opinion. They can present different treatment options, including less toxic options such as steroids. Good luck and I'm sorry about Luigi!

Yes, it is absolutely fine to continue using your normal household cleaners - Lysol included - as long as Frankie does not directly inhale or ingest any of these substances. Rinsing his litter box with dish soap after spraying with Lysol is also okay. :-)

It's definitely a good idea to clean and sanitize everything after your cat has had worms just to prevent spreading it back to your cat (or yourself from contact with any affected material as roundworms are transmissible to people and other pets). I would make sure at the very least to completely change the litter, wipe down the litter box with a sanitizing wipe, and wash any bedding your cat regularly sleeps on including your own, their beds, the couch, etc. This can help get rid of any roundworm eggs that may still be in the environment as it can be spread through fecal matter.