Pets

Do you wash your hands after touching the cat?

  • Last Updated:
  • Oct 3rd, 2019 1:02 pm

Poll: Do you wash your hands after touching cat?

  • Total votes: 64. You have voted on this poll.
Yes
 
20
31%
No
 
27
42%
Depends
 
17
27%
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10218 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…

Do you wash your hands after touching the cat?

When ever I've had dogs (family or petsit) in the past (and into he future if ever), I always would wash my hands before eating and cooking. With cats, well, not so much. So the question for cat owners is, do you wash your hands before preparing food or eating?
Last edited by thriftshopper on Aug 24th, 2019 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
15 replies
Deal Fanatic
May 22, 2003
9325 posts
6386 upvotes
Vancouver
If I'm preparing food or eating with my hands, then yes. If I'm just eating prepared food with a fork/spoon then no.
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10218 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…
notenoughsleep wrote: If I'm preparing food or eating with my hands, then yes. If I'm just eating prepared food with a fork/spoon then no.
You're better than most people I know who have cats.

My wife reminded me that the cats probably wish we washed our hands before touching them.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2010
6739 posts
3998 upvotes
Toronto
notenoughsleep wrote: If I'm preparing food or eating with my hands, then yes. If I'm just eating prepared food with a fork/spoon then no.
Same. So I guess the cat part isn't really relevant to me - if I would usually wash my hands before doing an activity, I wash my hands (eating, making food, taking medicine, putting a band-aid on etc.). If not, then I don't. So I wouldn't say I deliberately choose to wash my hands just because I touched a cat.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jul 19, 2012
1988 posts
339 upvotes
Canada
no but my cat cleans and grooms himself when I touch him. Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Smiling Eyes
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2087 posts
1134 upvotes
Alberta
When I come home from work I always wash my hands before touching it. I do wash my hands before food prep but not because of the cat, more out of general hygiene. If I am home all day I touch my cats hundreds of times and don't wash my hands in between, they are probably cleaner than I am.

Now...if it wasn't my cat, I always wash my hands shortly after before even touching my face or anything. Dunno, as far as I am concerned my cats are the best and cleanest cats, and every other cat isn't :D haha. Dogs are even worse, I don't like dogs and whenever I go to my friends place and the dog wants me to play with their throw toy covered in slob.....I need to wash my hands asap!
Deal Addict
Apr 25, 2011
1473 posts
1208 upvotes
British Columbia
I said no then read the actual question haha.

I don't care what I'm doing, if I'm preparing food I wash my hands. The cat does not enter into the equation... I'm not sure why this question involves a cat at all really. Cats are much cleaner than the door handle you touch walking into your kitchen.
Deal Addict
Apr 6, 2008
1807 posts
1168 upvotes
Wash your hands before anything questionable - eating, preparing food, going to the washroom, smoking, working outside, etc. Pets should not even enter into the equation - there are much worse bacterias being passed around.
Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
27765 posts
27806 upvotes
Eastern Ontario
The old rule...
If your hand is going to touch your face... or touch anything going to your face ... or someone else’s face (like food, eye drops, etc)
Then it is best done with CLEAN Hands

So no I don’t wash my hands immediately after touching a pet

BUT I certainly do if I am going to cook / eat anything
In fact while preparing food, I will wash my hands several times throughout the process
And we use Paper Towels to dry our hands / turn off the faucets in the kitchen as well

Cloth / Hand Towels ... they are only ever used in the bathroom

And that’s another thing, everyone should always wash their hands after using the loo
But studies show strangely ... that not enough folks do

Here’s the CDC website on proper hand washing ... it’s a good read ... point of reference
https://www.cdc.gov/features/handwashing/index.html
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 2, 2003
4847 posts
4382 upvotes
B.C.
The only time I think of washing my hands at all after touching my cats is if I'm touching something unsanitary like poop on their fur that I have to clean off. Something like that. Otherwise the only cleaning that gets done is in the opposite direction -- one of our cats can't wait to start washing if I have the nerve to touch her when I have hand cream on my hands haha.
If I had more time, I would have written a shorter post
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10218 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…
TheHans wrote: The only time I think of washing my hands at all after touching my cats is if I'm touching something unsanitary like poop on their fur that I have to clean off. Something like that.
That's exactly what I was leading to. I wash my hands before prepping food but one of the cats (ragdoll) likes to roll over and have his belly rubbed.
bluenose2 wrote: no but my cat cleans and grooms himself when I touch him. Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Smiling Eyes
TheHans wrote: Otherwise the only cleaning that gets done is in the opposite direction -- one of our cats can't wait to start washing if I have the nerve to touch her when I have hand cream on my hands haha.
The standard cat reaction, "Don't touch me with your filthy human hands!"
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Banned
Jun 12, 2019
55 posts
23 upvotes
stupidest thing i've seen asked on this forum in a while

why would u need to wash your hands after petting a cat unless it licks your hand ?

most of you guys who have pets kiss your dogs and cats in the mouth and let them lick your lips and your tongue. i see ppl on the TTC and subways lick their dog's tongues with their own tongue etc .

yet you're here asking if you wash your hands after touching a cat.


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Last edited by Mars2012 on Sep 8th, 2019 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Deal Addict
Nov 10, 2018
4735 posts
5331 upvotes
bluenose2 wrote: no but my cat cleans and grooms himself when I touch him. Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Smiling Eyes
I wish my cat would clean and groom herself too...............

;)
For legal topics and discussions, the opinion, guidance, and thoughts provided are my own and are not considered to be legal advice, in any manner.
Deal Addict
Jan 1, 2015
1261 posts
1416 upvotes
Toronto, ON
Cat is probably cleaner than I am so.... no I don't. If i washed my hands every time I touched my cat, my hands would look three times my age.

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