Cats and cleaning products?

"Jofirey" wrote in message
...

"Kajikit" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:23:31 +0200, "Nadia N."
wrote:

I'm unlurking to ask about cleaning products dangerous to cats. I am
hoping that with all the vast experience on this group, I'll be able to
find answers to my questions.

We will be moving to a new apartment in the next few weeks. As is usual
here in Spain, there are no carpets in the new place - all the floors
are tile. I am not sure what cleaning products might have been used to
wash the floors before we rented the place. I know that there are
certain products which are very toxic to cats.

So my question is, IF the floors in the new apartment had been washed
using some of those toxic products, what can I do to wash off the
remains of the toxic stuff? Could any toxic stuff have worn off over
time? I think the apartment has been empty for at least 2 or 3 months,
so would that be enough time for any toxic residue of the cleaning
products to dissipate? Any suggestions on what I can scrub the floors
with in order to get rid of any possible last traces of the dangerous
stuff?

We didn't have this worry when we first moved here because our first
apartment was brand new - it had never been lived in. But with this one,
I worry about the kitties' health. I am not going to bring them into the
new apartment until I'm sure it's safe for them.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me. And special thanks
from Kotyo and Sweety who will be the ones walking on the tile floors
and then licking their paws...

Nadia (and Kotyo and Sweety)

I can't imagine any commonly-used cleaning product so toxic to cats
that it would hang around in the environment and still be unsafe after
four months... it's a very big 'if' that you're worrying about. I'm
sure they'll be fine. But if you want to be on the safe side, mop the
floor with plain water and wash anything away!
--
I agree. I'd really be more concerned with new construction being toxic
than with any remnants of cleaning products on an older place.

But yes, wash, rinse, repeat.

Jo

I'm nuts (you all know) about bacteria so I washed my hands with that
antibacterial
soap you don't have to use water with. I keep a few bottles around, because
they shut off the water sometimes if they have a leak in the main water
pipes. We keep the bathtub filled for pouring water in the tank of the
bathroom. One day next way next week most likely, they will shut off the
water , to install a new water pump because the water pressure is so low.
the tub got filled this morning by me becaue I have a 'feeling' about it. I
also recycle my Snapple bottles by rinsing the empties by rinsing them out
with hot water and a little baking soda and then fill them with cold water
from our PUR water filter.
Baking soda is great for lots of things.
Good luck
Kyla

Kyla =^..^= wrote:


I use Lysol 4 in one to clean cat messes off the rugs, then go over it wiith
a Wet Ones towelet, then take a paper towel and wet it down and sprinkle it
with baking soda, which removes all the smells. One of the cats pooped on
the rug in the catbox room and it worked for mr that way, and I'm a nut (as
you all know) about bacteria so I washed my hands with that antibacterial
soap you don't have to use water with. I keep a few bottles around, because
they shut off the water sometimes if they have a leak in the main water
pipes. We keep the bathtub filled for pouring water in the tank of the
bathroom. One day next way next week most likely, they will shut off the
water , to install a new water pump because the water pressure is so low.
the tub got filled this morning by me becaue I have a 'feeling' about it. I
also recycle my Snapple bottles by rinsing the empties by rinsing them out
with hot water and a little baking soda and then fill them with cold water
from our PUR water filter.
Baking soda is great for lots of things.
Good luck
Kyla



Thanks Kyla. I'll keep it in mind for when I need to clean stuff off
rugs. Luckily tile is easier to clean.

--
Little Monster pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/Kotyo
Sweety pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/Sweety
Kotyo and Sweety together:
http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/KotyoAndSweety

I'm unlurking to ask about cleaning products dangerous to cats.
I can't imagine any commonly-used cleaning product so toxic to cats
that it would hang around in the environment and still be unsafe after
four months.

I can. Cetrimide.

I use Lysol 4 in one to clean cat messes off the rugs

Google "lysol feline toxicity". I wouldn't.

Hexachlorophene/cetrimide in particular is horrible for cats - causes
destructive ulceration of the skin on contact. (In the UK, that means
Dettol or Savlon; dunno the US brand names). Countless owners must
have killed or mutilated their cats by using human antiseptics on open
wounds.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted ******

"Jack Campin - bogus address"
I'm unlurking to ask about cleaning products dangerous to cats.
I can't imagine any commonly-used cleaning product so toxic to cats
that it would hang around in the environment and still be unsafe after
four months.

I can. Cetrimide.

I use Lysol 4 in one to clean cat messes off the rugs

Google "lysol feline toxicity". I wouldn't.

Hexachlorophene/cetrimide in particular is horrible for cats - causes
destructive ulceration of the skin on contact. (In the UK, that means
Dettol or Savlon; dunno the US brand names). Countless owners must
have killed or mutilated their cats by using human antiseptics on open
wounds.

I always make sure I rinse it off, thourly and then put a paper towel over
it.
And I never use human antiseptics on open wounds.because they don't have
any upen wounds.
I will google that up..thanks.
Kyla

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk
====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739
557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic
fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted
******

"Nadia N."
Kyla =^..^= wrote:


I use Lysol 4 in one to clean cat messes off the rugs, then go over it
wiith
a Wet Ones towelet, then take a paper towel and wet it down and sprinkle
it
with baking soda, which removes all the smells. One of the cats pooped
on
the rug in the catbox room and it worked for mr that way, and I'm a nut
(as
you all know) about bacteria so I washed my hands with that antibacterial
soap you don't have to use water with. I keep a few bottles around,
because
they shut off the water sometimes if they have a leak in the main water
pipes. We keep the bathtub filled for pouring water in the tank of the
bathroom. One day next way next week most likely, they will shut off the
water , to install a new water pump because the water pressure is so low.
the tub got filled this morning by me becaue I have a 'feeling' about it.
I
also recycle my Snapple bottles by rinsing the empties by rinsing them
out
with hot water and a little baking soda and then fill them with cold
water
from our PUR water filter.
Baking soda is great for lots of things.
Good luck
Kyla

Just make sure everything is rinsed throughly We don't want to harm our
kitties.
Kyla



Thanks Kyla. I'll keep it in mind for when I need to clean stuff off rugs.
Luckily tile is easier to clean.

--
Little Monster pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/Kotyo
Sweety pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/Sweety
Kotyo and Sweety together:
http://picasaweb.google.com/nnakova/KotyoAndSweety

"Kyla =^..^=" wrote in message


I use Neosporin on the cats when then need a topical antiseptic. To
clean up a scratch or small abscess and to clean up chin acne.

Jo

"Jofirey"

"Kyla =^..^="


I use Neosporin on the cats when then need a topical antiseptic. To clean
up a scratch or small abscess and to clean up chin acne.

Jo

I used Neosporin on Mosey a long time ago when he had an owie on the top of
his head from playing too hard with the others and he couldn't lick it off.
I'm glad it works and I keep it around for me as well.

Kyla

"Nadia N." wrote in message
...
Jofirey wrote:

"Kajikit" wrote in message
...

I can't imagine any commonly-used cleaning product so toxic to cats
that it would hang around in the environment and still be unsafe after
four months... it's a very big 'if' that you're worrying about. I'm
sure they'll be fine. But if you want to be on the safe side, mop the
floor with plain water and wash anything away!
--
I agree. I'd really be more concerned with new construction being toxic
than with any remnants of cleaning products on an older place.

But yes, wash, rinse, repeat.

Jo

Yeah, I will be giving the place a thorough washing in any case.

I am just a bit paranoid about cleaning products because a few months ago
one of the posters of a Spanish cat forum that I lurk on had her cat die
after she washed her floor with some new product. She said she had rinsed
the floor with just water after using the product, but the cat still ended
up with enough toxins in her system that they couldn't save her.
Logically, my mind is telling me that there's little chance of the same
happening to my kitties, but...

I've also been careful about cleaning products since I read about the tigers
in some zoo absorbing phenol through their pads though having their house
washed out with Jeyes fluid daily. They died from phenol poisoning. I
mentioned this in another thread, Phenol is in some other disinfectants too
(Dettol is one, there may be lots more.)
Since knowing this I've examined the ingredients of my cleaning products.

The tiger keepers must have been absolutely gutted, thinking they were
keeping them clean and safe but poisoning them accidentally. How awful.

I now use only a mild solution of washing up liquid to clean my kitchen
floor where Boyfriend walks. The rest of my house is carpeted.

Tweed