Book 9, Question 143
Why Keep Pets Off Kitchen Counters?
We keep pets off kitchen counters because paws and fur can carry germs from the floor to where food is prepared! Pets walk through litter boxes, yards, and dirt, and they lick their paws too. Keeping them off counters protects your food.
More fun facts
- Pets that look healthy can still carry Salmonella germs and shed them in their poop and saliva.
- Cats can spread Salmonella around the house through shared litter boxes or by walking on kitchen countertops.
- Pet poop from both sick and healthy pets can make people sick.
- People can catch Salmonella by getting it on their hands and then touching their mouths.
- Germs on hands or clothes can spread to other people, objects and surfaces, like counters where food is made.
- Salmonella germs have been known to make people sick since 1885.
- Symptoms of a Salmonella infection can start anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after the germs are swallowed.
Sources: U.S. FDA
Questions kids ask
What should I do if my cat walks on the counter?
Clean the counter well before making food on it, and wash your hands after touching your pet.