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Human health risks w/ cat pooping in crawl space?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 25th 03, 02:19 PM
Hank
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Default Human health risks w/ cat pooping in crawl space?

My house sits atop 3 foot piers making a crawl space the size of the entire
house's floor plan - 1200 sq ft. For a time I allowed him down there (thru a
special cat door) so he could have fun playing in the dirt and catching
small lizards and gecco's. (He's an indoor cat) He took to preferring the
dirt to his cat box, much to my approval. I've closed his door to the crawl
space to monitor a health problem that has cleared up, and am considering
letting him back down there and stowing the cat box away.

Questions a

Will the poop decompose down there, in dirt that gets no rain?

Is there a health risk to me in the house after a long period of poop
build-up down there? I'm thinking, maybe small poop molecules will work
there way into the house thru the floor(?).

In the 3 months that he was down there, I did not smell anything in the
house. I even crawled around there, even over the area he preffered to do
his business (of course he buried his stuff). I did smell evidence of his
business (only while I was crawling directly over his buried stuff), but it
wasn't overly strong.

Anyone else allow their cat to poop in the crawl space under their house?

Any educated guesses as to possible negative side affects to the humans in
the house to the cat pooping down there long-term?

Thanks!
Hank


  #2  
Old October 25th 03, 08:04 PM
Liz
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Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.
  #3  
Old October 25th 03, 08:04 PM
Liz
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Default

Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.
  #4  
Old October 25th 03, 08:55 PM
Hank
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Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.

"Liz" wrote in message
om...
Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.



  #5  
Old October 25th 03, 08:55 PM
Hank
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Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.

"Liz" wrote in message
om...
Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.



  #6  
Old October 25th 03, 11:32 PM
m. L. Briggs
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Default

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 14:55:41 -0500, "Hank" wrote:

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.

"Liz" wrote in message
. com...
Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.


I am making a guess that your "smeller" isn't in perfect working
order. MLB
  #7  
Old October 25th 03, 11:32 PM
m. L. Briggs
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 14:55:41 -0500, "Hank" wrote:

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.

"Liz" wrote in message
. com...
Hank, I don't know much about this but there are a few things that
occurred to me. First, do you know if your cat carries toxoplasma
gondii? Letting stools sit there will put you and your family at risk.
Second, after a while, the smell from fermenting poop might become
unbearable because of mercaptans (gases containing sulfur released
during fermentation). Third, decomposition generates methane, an
odorless highly flammable gas. If there's no ventilation down there
and this gas builds up, eventually you will blow up your house with
something as "harmless" as switching on a light. I don't know how much
poop would need to be fermenting to generate enough gas to blow up
your house, but it's something I'd be concerned with.


I am making a guess that your "smeller" isn't in perfect working
order. MLB
  #8  
Old October 28th 03, 04:04 AM
Marek Williams
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Default

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 14:55:41 -0500, "Hank" dijo:

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.


But if there is no rain or other moisture there will be no
decomposition and no generation of methane, beyond an infinitesimal
amount. Ditto for the smell and other problems.

The toxoplasma might become an issue, but I don't know enough about it
to venture an opinion. Most harmful bugs cannot survive in a dry
environment, and also die if not kept within a specific temperature
range. If the cat is infected then it would seem to me you would be
even more at risk when the cat is upstairs sleeping in your lap.

As for not smelling it, I have a very sensitive nose and sometimes my
cat's poop doesn't smell strongly at all. But if he eats garbage from
the neighbors he can be a real stinker. As long as the smell isn't a
problem upstairs, I wouldn't worry about it.

Having said that, if you ever develop a leak in your plumbing and this
area becomes flooded, look out!

--
Bogus e-mail address, but I read this newsgroup regularly, so reply here.
  #9  
Old October 28th 03, 04:04 AM
Marek Williams
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 14:55:41 -0500, "Hank" dijo:

Thanks Liz, these are the kind of comments I'm looking for.


But if there is no rain or other moisture there will be no
decomposition and no generation of methane, beyond an infinitesimal
amount. Ditto for the smell and other problems.

The toxoplasma might become an issue, but I don't know enough about it
to venture an opinion. Most harmful bugs cannot survive in a dry
environment, and also die if not kept within a specific temperature
range. If the cat is infected then it would seem to me you would be
even more at risk when the cat is upstairs sleeping in your lap.

As for not smelling it, I have a very sensitive nose and sometimes my
cat's poop doesn't smell strongly at all. But if he eats garbage from
the neighbors he can be a real stinker. As long as the smell isn't a
problem upstairs, I wouldn't worry about it.

Having said that, if you ever develop a leak in your plumbing and this
area becomes flooded, look out!

--
Bogus e-mail address, but I read this newsgroup regularly, so reply here.
  #10  
Old October 28th 03, 12:45 PM
Liz
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Posts: n/a
Default

But if there is no rain or other moisture there will be no
decomposition and no generation of methane, beyond an infinitesimal
amount. Ditto for the smell and other problems.


DonĀ“t forget moisture in air, condensation on ground, urination, and
capillarity of soil.
 




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