Is chemo on my skin safe for my cat to lick my hands and face?

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!

No you do not have to worry that much. I sent you a URL with a good description of the precautions which are sufficient. Since cats do not eat or lick at feces it is unlikely that they will get endangered by going to the same litter box. Just clean it out every day. You do not have to sanitize your hands, feet nor the litter genie. You do not have to wear gloves, if you have a problem with it, just try not to touch the urine litter clumps and the poop, and if you do, wash your hands well with soap and you will be fine.

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.

As long as the pesticide was completely dried, and you wait the recommended amount of time before entering the house again, your cats should be fine and there should be minimal to no risk of them getting pesticide on their fur :-)

If Watson groomed the other cats, it could potentially cause the vomiting. I would have the other two checked out by a vet to be safe, and keep Watson isolated while you are giving him this medication. They shouldn't be affected from using his preferred litter box or by grooming his head, but him licking them can cause problems. I hope this helps.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chandler. This won't be good for him to ingest, it's a mild corticosteroid, but it's not hugely toxic to him. I would wipe it off of him with a damp cloth to keep it him from licking it. I hope this helps!

In general I would keep cats away from all chemicals and not let them lick you or the chemical off you. It is a good idea to do as you are, washing your hands well and drying them after the use of rogaine, And it is also good of you to wait until it is dry and you can rinse it out. For the time you have the rogaine in your hair, just do not let the kitties get near your hair. Unfortunately, cats lack the specific enzyme necessary to break down Minoxidil making them more susceptible to toxicity than dogs. Minoxidil® exposure can result in lethargy, hypotension, pulmonary edema, damage to the heart muscle and death from cardiac failure. However, if you handle the use like you have been there should be no problem.