Is Cat Hair Harmful to Children?

Many people are afraid of what will happen if their child swallows a cat’s hair. Some of them think that once ingested hair can reach the liver, lungs or even brain of their child. Medical experts claim that these are only ungrounded fears. Cat’s hair, as well as human’s, contains keratin, which makes it indigestible for humans. Our body just eliminates it. On the other hand, the real danger lies in a fact that humans, especially children, can come in contact with worms or parasites when to ingest cat’s hair. But, if a cat is healthy and has been regularly dewormed, swallowing cat’s hair will not cause any harm. The real risk is when a child gets in contact with a feral cat or a cat that is not regularly dewormed. Another reason for concern is cat’s feces. Namely, many infections can spread from cats to children by feces. That is why feline experts do not recommend to handle emptying the litter box to children. Children can also be infected while playing in sand or soil, where cats have urinated or cover the feces. Feline experts advise parents to teach children to wash their hands before meals, after playing with cats, or playing outside. Cats can also spread bacteria by so-called cat scratch disease. This disease can transmit through bites or scratches. For that reason, it is important to teach children how to play with cats properly. If the bite or scratch appears, treating wounds fast is of great importance. To find out more about how to prevent children from harmful effects of cat hair, the article “Simple Steps for Avoiding Infections from Dogs and Cats” gives us the following tips.

Here are a few precautions to take:

Make sure your pet gets an annual veterinary physical.

If your pet develops diarrhea, treat it promptly.

Wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning up dog or cat feces and after gardening or exposure to soil that may harbor canine or feline fecal matter.

If you’re pregnant, have someone else clean out Felix’s litter box.

As we have seen, there is not the real danger from cat hair if a cat is healthy. Experts only warn us of the possibility of allergy, because shedding spread dandruff throughout a house, which is one of the sources of allergy. For that reason, they advise regular vacuum cleaning as well as proper care of cat’s fur. Keeping a cat further from children’s bedrooms, or ideally keeping a cat outdoors can help a child with the allergy to live with his furry friend happily.