Owning a kitten and contamination OCD

[LaundrySoap]

Hey all,
So I just got a new kitten, and she has a few health issues. Ear mites, URI, very probable roundworm, and she's not litter box trained. Last night she pooped on the carpet and I spent probably too long going overboard cleaning that up. I want to have a kitten because I think forcing myself to confront my contamination anxiety is good, and because its good practice for having a baby (ok, like 2%, but still lol). But OHHHH my goodness is it difficult to deal with the contamination aspect. My therapist had to tell me not to clean my house lol, but I've got this feeling thar I might spread worm-infected poop everywhere. I need to go to the store and pick up something for someone I know, and I'm low key a little scared to buy them something, because I'm scared I'm going to contaminate it with worm eggs from the kitten.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm also paranoid about keeping the kitten safe.

(Also she had a stool sample sent to the lab, and I'll know if she has worms tomorrow. Ive also got medication for her for her other problems. )

 

[Michie]

Hey all,
So I just got a new kitten, and she has a few health issues. Ear mites, URI, very probable roundworm, and she's not litter box trained. Last night she pooped on the carpet and I spent probably too long going overboard cleaning that up. I want to have a kitten because I think forcing myself to confront my contamination anxiety is good, and because its good practice for having a baby (ok, like 2%, but still lol). But OHHHH my goodness is it difficult to deal with the contamination aspect. My therapist had to tell me not to clean my house lol, but I've got this feeling thar I might spread worm-infected poop everywhere. I need to go to the store and pick up something for someone I know, and I'm low key a little scared to buy them something, because I'm scared I'm going to contaminate it with worm eggs from the kitten.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm also paranoid about keeping the kitten safe.

(Also she had a stool sample sent to the lab, and I'll know if she has worms tomorrow. Ive also got medication for her for her other problems. )

Discuss your issues with a veterinarian as well. The doctor can reassure you and help your poor kitten with her problems. If you are anxious, the kitten will know and add to her own issues.

 

[Skye1300]

Wow, congratulations on your precious little kitten! Just try to relax and give it time. As time goes by and you see that the world doesn't end from a little germs, you will start to relax. Anything new is always stressful. Good luck with your little baby and I hope he/she is better soon. Kittens always make everything okay.

 

[3 Resurrections]

Another cat lover here...

I recently had to surrender five kittens to the Humane Society, since I already was feeding five adult cats, and doubling the resident cat population was not going to be possible. I turned them in just before the Fourth of July, so I named the four solid black ones "Snap", "Crackle", "Pop", "Sparkle", and then "Boom-boom" for the solid grey kitten in honor of the day. All got spayed and neutered, and were released as community cats somewhere else. Hope they are doing okay. Their momma misses them.

For your own little kitten's worm issue, I can personally recommend using the simple solution of mixing a little bit of Diatomaceous Earth into the kitten's wet food, or into some chicken broth or tuna fish juice. It is tasteless and odorless, and will kill off any type of worm or parasite in the kitten's gut. I use it regularly for my dog as well at the first sign of worms in their feces and it gets rid of them very quickly. Even if the pet doesn't have any worm issues, dosing them with a sprinkle of this stuff in their food can't hurt them. It's also good for people (the food grade type - I use the "Lumino" brand - available at most health food stores).

Good luck with raising this little one into a loving companion. They are well worth the trouble. Very therapeutic. And every kitten comes with 9 lives issued to them, so you can't go too far wrong.

 

[Mari17]

Hey all,
So I just got a new kitten, and she has a few health issues. Ear mites, URI, very probable roundworm, and she's not litter box trained. Last night she pooped on the carpet and I spent probably too long going overboard cleaning that up. I want to have a kitten because I think forcing myself to confront my contamination anxiety is good, and because its good practice for having a baby (ok, like 2%, but still lol). But OHHHH my goodness is it difficult to deal with the contamination aspect. My therapist had to tell me not to clean my house lol, but I've got this feeling thar I might spread worm-infected poop everywhere. I need to go to the store and pick up something for someone I know, and I'm low key a little scared to buy them something, because I'm scared I'm going to contaminate it with worm eggs from the kitten.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm also paranoid about keeping the kitten safe.

(Also she had a stool sample sent to the lab, and I'll know if she has worms tomorrow. Ive also got medication for her for her other problems. )

I get it! I have struggled with contamination OCD, and still do to some extent. I think I've learned that if I am acting unnaturally (something other people would think was over the top), then probably OCD is getting in there somehow, even if I can't see how. So, for me, it helps to have someone explain the logical aspect (I guess that would be considered as addressing the cognitive distortions), but since OCD often doesn't let us rest with just the logical explanation, I have to work against doing compulsions even if the OCD is giving me anxiety. What kind of therapy is your therapist using with you? Is it ERP therapy?

 

[DaisyDay]

All got spayed and neutered, and were released as community cats somewhere else.

What does "released as community cats" mean?

 

[DaisyDay]

Hey all,
So I just got a new kitten, and she has a few health issues. Ear mites, URI, very probable roundworm, and she's not litter box trained. Last night she pooped on the carpet and I spent probably too long going overboard cleaning that up. I want to have a kitten because I think forcing myself to confront my contamination anxiety is good, and because its good practice for having a baby (ok, like 2%, but still lol). But OHHHH my goodness is it difficult to deal with the contamination aspect. My therapist had to tell me not to clean my house lol, but I've got this feeling thar I might spread worm-infected poop everywhere. I need to go to the store and pick up something for someone I know, and I'm low key a little scared to buy them something, because I'm scared I'm going to contaminate it with worm eggs from the kitten.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm also paranoid about keeping the kitten safe.

(Also she had a stool sample sent to the lab, and I'll know if she has worms tomorrow. Ive also got medication for her for her other problems. )

Why did you choose that kitten? I'm glad she has you to take good care of her - I hope the help is mutual. I really miss having a cat.

 

[3 Resurrections]

What does "released as community cats" mean?

It's part of South Carolina's program to deal with the massive overcrowding of cats and kittens in the animal shelters, without euthanizing them all. The "TNR" program (trap, neuter, release) will spay or neuter your cat or kitten (2 lbs. or more) for no charge, including rabies shots and vaccinations, and give them a belly tattoo showing they have been operated on. They also get an ear tipped as an obvious sign that they cannot reproduce any more kittens. These are then released as feral animals to help control rodent populations, and many times these cats become socialized in certain communities, with people more or less "adopting" them on a regular feeding schedule. Many of the houses on our street have at least a couple of free-ranging cats that the family especially looks out for.

 

[Skye1300]

Another cat lover here...

I recently had to surrender five kittens to the Humane Society, since I already was feeding five adult cats, and doubling the resident cat population was not going to be possible. I turned them in just before the Fourth of July, so I named the four solid black ones "Snap", "Crackle", "Pop", "Sparkle", and then "Boom-boom" for the solid grey kitten in honor of the day. All got spayed and neutered, and were released as community cats somewhere else. Hope they are doing okay. Their momma misses them.

Bless you for taking care of those kittens as long as you could! I love the names too!

 

[LaundrySoap]

I get it! I have struggled with contamination OCD, and still do to some extent. I think I've learned that if I am acting unnaturally (something other people would think was over the top), then probably OCD is getting in there somehow, even if I can't see how. So, for me, it helps to have someone explain the logical aspect (I guess that would be considered as addressing the cognitive distortions), but since OCD often doesn't let us rest with just the logical explanation, I have to work against doing compulsions even if the OCD is giving me anxiety. What kind of therapy is your therapist using with you? Is it ERP therapy?

I have a workbook I'm going to go through, called the OCD workbook, so it sounds like it'll be ERP!

 

[LaundrySoap]

Why did you choose that kitten? I'm glad she has you to take good care of her - I hope the help is mutual. I really miss having a cat.

I found her as a stray; she got sick at the humane society and so she had to get out of there probably asap after her rabies quarantine. She's a sweetheart!

 

[LaundrySoap]

Y'all her stool sample results came back and she has roundworms. I'm kind of freaked out. She'll get the medicine this afternoon, so she should be fine, but I'm SO FREAKED OUT about worms and worm eggs. Yesterday im pretty sure I saw a tiny bit of poop on her bottom, but didn't get it off. Now I'm worried its somewhere in my apartment, and someone (or me) is gonna get worm eggs from my floor or my couch and get sick!! Ugh this kitty is adorable but I'm so nervous. I didn't sleep well for 2 nights now.

 

[eleos1954]

Hey all,
So I just got a new kitten, and she has a few health issues. Ear mites, URI, very probable roundworm, and she's not litter box trained. Last night she pooped on the carpet and I spent probably too long going overboard cleaning that up. I want to have a kitten because I think forcing myself to confront my contamination anxiety is good, and because its good practice for having a baby (ok, like 2%, but still lol). But OHHHH my goodness is it difficult to deal with the contamination aspect. My therapist had to tell me not to clean my house lol, but I've got this feeling thar I might spread worm-infected poop everywhere. I need to go to the store and pick up something for someone I know, and I'm low key a little scared to buy them something, because I'm scared I'm going to contaminate it with worm eggs from the kitten.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm also paranoid about keeping the kitten safe.

(Also she had a stool sample sent to the lab, and I'll know if she has worms tomorrow. Ive also got medication for her for her other problems. )

The vet will give you guidance on all her health issues.

As far as litter box training ..... if you have a place where she can be contained and the litter box there .... she'll use it and will train quickly. Even if just at night for a while (or during the day if you work) having her own "space", bed, food, water and liter box, toys. Clean the litter box every day.

 

[Mari17]

Y'all her stool sample results came back and she has roundworms. I'm kind of freaked out. She'll get the medicine this afternoon, so she should be fine, but I'm SO FREAKED OUT about worms and worm eggs. Yesterday im pretty sure I saw a tiny bit of poop on her bottom, but didn't get it off. Now I'm worried its somewhere in my apartment, and someone (or me) is gonna get worm eggs from my floor or my couch and get sick!! Ugh this kitty is adorable but I'm so nervous. I didn't sleep well for 2 nights now.

How have you been doing, LaundrySoap?