Cat litter: any use for this in the garden at all?
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Having two 5 month old kittens, we are getting through shed loads of fullers earth type cat litter every week, as our 'boys' seem to want to be house cats and are reluctant to venture outside much yet. Has anyone any suggestions of a use for this in the garden? It takes up so much room in our bin, and cannot be recycled in the 'green' bin either.
Hi Deb,
We use a compressed sawdust type of cat litter, the 'lumps' get flushed down the loo and the rest goes on the compost heap. I don't see why you can't do the same, but am happy to be corrected if anyone else out there knows better.
We use a compressed sawdust type of cat litter, the 'lumps' get flushed down the loo and the rest goes on the compost heap. I don't see why you can't do the same, but am happy to be corrected if anyone else out there knows better.
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Guest
i have two cats that i have to admit are getting on a bit and one we got about three years ago hurt his paw or seemed to when he realised that he wouldn't be having his creature comforts that he was used to
but a few weeks later we tapped the tin of catfood for our other cat and found him with the suposedly hurt paw belt down the stairs i think you better find out whether they are trying it on or if they truly don't know how to 'go' outside I also feel sawdust or a mixure of grit and sand would work as long as you flushed the 'items down the toilet'
love Minky
but a few weeks later we tapped the tin of catfood for our other cat and found him with the suposedly hurt paw belt down the stairs i think you better find out whether they are trying it on or if they truly don't know how to 'go' outside I also feel sawdust or a mixure of grit and sand would work as long as you flushed the 'items down the toilet'
love Minky
Hi
I've always put the used litter in the compost heap -the more solids the better. I do the same with the soiled chiken bedding and shavings - always mixing with softer green materials - seem to work fine.
Chris
I've always put the used litter in the compost heap -the more solids the better. I do the same with the soiled chiken bedding and shavings - always mixing with softer green materials - seem to work fine.
Chris
Chris
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Jenny Green
- KG Regular
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- Location: East Midlands
We use the woodbased litter too. It doesn't smell half so bad as the clay type (did you know that that is mildly radioactive too?)
It's generally advised not to use cat litter in the garden and especially not around vegetables because of the risks of spreading toxoplasmosis (gives you apparently harmless cysts in your brain and can cause miscarriage). Flushing solids away will greatly reduce the risk, but it will still be there.
Do you really want your cats to poop and pee in your garden? Aren't you concerned about those little surprises waiting for you in the border as you're hand weeding? Don't think the neighbours will be too impressed either.
It's generally advised not to use cat litter in the garden and especially not around vegetables because of the risks of spreading toxoplasmosis (gives you apparently harmless cysts in your brain and can cause miscarriage). Flushing solids away will greatly reduce the risk, but it will still be there.
Do you really want your cats to poop and pee in your garden? Aren't you concerned about those little surprises waiting for you in the border as you're hand weeding? Don't think the neighbours will be too impressed either.
I'd rather they went in the garden than in the tray in my living room! I've had trouble with other cats using my veggy raised beds as a toilet, managed to deter them mostly with physical barriers and my kids running at them if they see any heading towards them (see old forum for details!)They have a fair bit of non edible garden to mosey around, but our new kits do a great line in 'you want me to go out there? In that cold place?' and give me withering looks! It didn't help that we have magpies nesting in the trees at the end of our garden, who decided to give them a noisy ''welcome'' and divebombed them when they first ventured out! I think it will take much warmer weather to tempt them outdoors...
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People lover
In my experience, cats don't "go" on their own patch, so the problem is going to be laid at your neigbours' doors, so to speak! If you're comfortable with causing other folks a lot of unpleasantness and a very real health hazard, go right ahead (or should I say, tell your cats to go right ahead). Most people wouldn't let their kids defecate on other people's gardens, so why is it generally considered OK to let pet cats do so?
Sigh, you know, I just knew it was a mistake to even contemplate starting this thread, the chances were that it would degenerate into a cat hating, cat vs. dogs etc. rant. I'm suprised to find myself bristling at the implication I'm a bad citizen because I chose to rescue 2 kittens from a shelter who may or may not poop in my, or my neighbours gardens. However, I have obviously quite wonderful neighbours who like our kits, and whilst they would certainly complain if I sent my kids round to use their garden as a toilet, they, unlike you, appreciate that cat owners are not out to deliberately infect humanity via their charges. My original post was only concerned with trying to find an acceptable and useful gardening application for cats waste; lets keep to the subject eh? 
Last edited by Deb P on Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hi Deb
I run a cattery, and have to use a industrial waste disposal service (boo!)
However the waste from my house cats, dog and horses all go on the compost heap - makes for great pumpkins
Loz
I run a cattery, and have to use a industrial waste disposal service (boo!)
However the waste from my house cats, dog and horses all go on the compost heap - makes for great pumpkins
Loz
Too much to do and not enough time! See my hoard on www.arthursplacecattery.co.uk
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People lover
Deb, look up toxoplasmosis on the Net and then tell me you still consider yourself a good citizen. As the aunt of a kid who contracted this, I take every opportunity to wake people up to this disgusting health hazard.
Hi,
Just followed the advice and looked up toxoplasmosis on the net...found that it is most commonly caught from undercooked meats, and cat faeces, goat's milk. The level of infection in France is twice that of the UK as they eat their meat less well done than we do. So although cat faeces do contain this parasite and can live in the garden for 18 months (unsure for the composte heap..would the extra heat kill it?) you are far more likely to be infected by undercooked sausages/burgers, pink juicey Sunday roast etc. unless you have the habit of eating cat poo!
However, by flushing the turds down the loo and putting the sawdust on a special compost heap only to be used for ornamental garden and keep it away from your fruit and veg, you should be alright.
Just followed the advice and looked up toxoplasmosis on the net...found that it is most commonly caught from undercooked meats, and cat faeces, goat's milk. The level of infection in France is twice that of the UK as they eat their meat less well done than we do. So although cat faeces do contain this parasite and can live in the garden for 18 months (unsure for the composte heap..would the extra heat kill it?) you are far more likely to be infected by undercooked sausages/burgers, pink juicey Sunday roast etc. unless you have the habit of eating cat poo!
However, by flushing the turds down the loo and putting the sawdust on a special compost heap only to be used for ornamental garden and keep it away from your fruit and veg, you should be alright.
I don't suffer from insanity .... I enjoy it!
Vivianne
Vivianne
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secret guest
We put all our cat litter on the compost heap. I can understand the concern about toxplasmosis, but given the fact that you wil have cats in the garden anyway, a little more hardly makes any difference surely. One also hopes that you wear gloves in the garden and wash your hands when you come in.
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spinningfishwife
- KG Regular
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Women in France can get vaccinated against toxiplasmosis when pregnant, so they can carry on eating all the food they like.
I wouldn`t be happy putting cat litter into the garden. The general rule for compsting excrement is herbivore stuff is fine, carnivore stuff is not. (Some countries even use human excrement as fertilizer.)There are more potentially dangerous pathogens in carnivore poo. Chickens, rabbits, pigs, sheep and horses all give traditional types of manure....and they`re all herbivores or omnivores.
No, letting your cat use the neighbours garden is not an option to be encouraged. They might have people living there that fall into a high risk catagory...very young, very old or immunosuppressed for some other reason like taking arthritis drugs or current/recent chemotherapy.
If pet cats will use a litter tray then this avoids the problem. Shredded newspaper works as well as anything, and this can be incinerated and the ash spread. At the very least newspaper is recycled and "free", so you`re doing your bit for the environment here.
I wouldn`t be happy putting cat litter into the garden. The general rule for compsting excrement is herbivore stuff is fine, carnivore stuff is not. (Some countries even use human excrement as fertilizer.)There are more potentially dangerous pathogens in carnivore poo. Chickens, rabbits, pigs, sheep and horses all give traditional types of manure....and they`re all herbivores or omnivores.
No, letting your cat use the neighbours garden is not an option to be encouraged. They might have people living there that fall into a high risk catagory...very young, very old or immunosuppressed for some other reason like taking arthritis drugs or current/recent chemotherapy.
If pet cats will use a litter tray then this avoids the problem. Shredded newspaper works as well as anything, and this can be incinerated and the ash spread. At the very least newspaper is recycled and "free", so you`re doing your bit for the environment here.
Val
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secret guest
. (Some countries even use human excrement as fertilizer.)
The U.K and most of the EU, pumps almost all its sewage sludge (solids from sewage farms) onto farmland. Have you never seen tankers parked in small country lanes attached to tractor driven pumps and miles of pipe?
The U.K and most of the EU, pumps almost all its sewage sludge (solids from sewage farms) onto farmland. Have you never seen tankers parked in small country lanes attached to tractor driven pumps and miles of pipe?