Cat Poo

[Sue]

My three cats don't go outside, don't have worms and have their injections every year so is their poo so dangerous to use in the garden?
I have an experimental dustbin full of used cat litter (wheat based) to which I added a lot of composting worms and it's now looking very compost like.
This has been on the go for 14 months, this would be safe now to use? I have a huge flower bed and I was intending to use it there mixed with compost as a thick mulch.
If this works it would be far better than having to dump it in landfill.
Sue

[Hans Mum]

dont know the answer but will be watching for comments with interest

[Alison]

I thought that the reason you shouldn't use cat poo was cos they eat meat but might be wrong????!???!?

[Storm]

My neighbours' cats have been "fertilising" my garden for 2 years now... it hasn't done the plants much good as they scratch them to shreds in the process and it smells pretty horrible when you kneel in it when gardening

as for how safe it is when composted, i know that certain poo (e.g. chicken) you're supposed to compost down for a long time cos of the presence of certain substances in high proportion (protein in the case of chicken muck?)

when i lived in a commune we used all kinds of poo (inc. human) but it had been left to rot for 2 years.

[Snadger]

Glad to say I'm not an authority on cat poo, but cats are carnivores and it is generally NOT reccommended to use carnivores poo for compost.

Even though your cats don't have worms and I am sure are very well looked after they can easily pick up Toxicana Felis which is the cat version of Toxicana Canis in dogs anywhere and anytime. As far as I know,these parasitic microscopic worms can be passed on to humans by cat faeces, especially children, and can cause blindness.

Without wanting to scaremonger, as maybe my perceptions are wrong, the only way I could envisage using composted cats poo is at the bottom of new permanent plantings such as hard or soft fruit bushes, where it is permanently buried and covered by soil.

[Alice]

The general recommendation is don't use poo from any meat eating animal or you risk all kinds of diseases. But in 40 years of nursing I've never encountered anybody with any of these diseases. Have you ? I don't do it myself but I think the decision is yours. Interesting to hear what others say. Sorry not to be of more definite help.

[Flummery]

I wouldn't use it but I don't have a cat! - it's true that the received wisdom is don't use carnivore droppings - but chickens kill and eat mice -our local farmer's hens do anyway - and they lay gorgeous eggs. And the mouse isn't a vegetable. I think it's up to you.

[lainey lou]

I wouldn't use it either Sue, Snadger is right, wouldn't want to risk anything nasty.

[rustylady]

I get more cat poo than I need, courtesy of the neighbours' cats using my garden as a loo. It's horrible and it stinks!!! As for using litter tray contents as compost, the bedding would rot down OK, as would the poo itself. I would never ever use it on anything I intended to eat, but I suppose it might be OK for flower borders.

[terrier]

I read on a US site about composting canine waste. Supposedly, it's safe as long as it's composted correctly, but I can't see a small composter getting hot enough for long enough to kill all the bugs. As for me, I wouldn't even use it on flower beds, but my two cats who live outside arn't that fussy, they leave it all over the place uncomposted. I suppose you could always use a steamer to steralise small amounts of if you have a wood stove you could burn it, but it's easier just to put the whole lot in the garbage.

[Sue]

Mmm
Yes, I agree about the "offerings" left on top of the soil, but this isn't smelly and looks like compost. I could leave it longer, it's not in the way.
It just seems awful to send it to landfill every week, it's my big anti-green secret.
Mind you what with the hens as well I have pooh bins everywhere!
Sue

[quark1]

What about wood-chip cat litter (used but sifted of 'solids') - would the high ammonia and wood (saw dust) combo be a good addition? I've been loth to do it to date as I've not been sure about hygiene issue - but if usable it would be better than sending it out with the weekly rubbish collection. Obviously wouldn't necessarily add to composter every week.

I also have 3 willing contributors in the shape of my gorgeous feline babies!

[Sue]

Quark
I use a cat litter made from corn which should be even better, so yes, I should get organised and sift out the solids which will mean no worries on the cat poo front. You've galvanized me into action, will start straight away!
Best wishes
Sue
PS What feline babies have you got??? I've got three Devon Rex, the newest one, Cocoa is just 4 months old and the devil in disguise. Wish I had a camera so I could post a picture of her. She's black and white - very pretty. Her body is black and she has a white flash on her face, a nice white vest and white forelegs.

[quark1]

Ladies and Gents - pls excuse whilst I have a catty moment with Sue!

They're all Heinz 57's tabby - lovely original short-hair Sophia (gentle girl who brings everything in alive) - who had 'relations' with my neighbour's semi-ferral long-hair - producing just 2 babies - one came nature's way, the other by c-section. One girl born first called Rubee and a boy called Schumi 12 hours later - both named after the great Ferrari duo at the time! Rubee (a lethal huntress) is medium/long and Schumi long. Lucky she had just the 2 as it would have been so difficult to chose which to keep and which to home had there been more.

Schumi has grown into a very large boy - we call him fatboy but it's mostly fluff - Rubee is like her mum and very small frame, she'll always look like a kitten. Born 5 yrs ago with mum 8yrs and now slightly podgy at times - she has to diet from time to time - even though her 2 kids always seem to be ravenous and she gets scarcely a look in at meal times.

Have not been without a cat for over 30 yrs - Acquired a Jack Russell 2 yrs ago called Phoebe - great fun and always seems rady for play!

That's it - the end of my catty pause.

[Sue]

Thankyou for the cat moment Quark, they sound unique and love the names.
I've got Max, cream and rather large, he's seven years old, Georgie (a girl) a beautiful blue with gooseberry green eyes at 4 years old. All was peace and harmony till I got Cocoa at the beginning of December. She's so rough and attacks both of the others, even after she's been hissed at and walloped still goes back for more. They all cuddle up together to sleep...until Cocoa starts to chew on an ear or two but not all out war.
I watched her yesterday, she was sitting on the bed and poor unsuspecting Max walked past, she jumped in the air and landed square on Max, his legs gave way and for a moment it was a real Tom and Jerry moment.
best wishes
Sue