Cat poop in vegetable gardens might not seem like a big deal, but it can be very bad for the health of the garden and the safety of the crops. We’ll talk about what cat poop is made of, the possible risks, and how to safely deal with cat waste in the garden in this article.
What’s in Cat Poop and Why it Can Be Problematic
What’s in cat poop? That will help us understand how dangerous it is in vegetable gardens. Cat poop contains a variety of substances, including .
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Bacteria – Potentially harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli can contaminate soil and crops.
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Parasites – Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite in cat poop that can cause the disease toxoplasmosis.
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Undigested food particles – These can introduce weed seeds or plant pathogens into the garden
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High ammonia levels – Cat urine and feces have much higher ammonia content than other manures. Too much nitrogen from ammonia can damage plants.
Bacteria and parasites, such as Salmonella or E. coli, are two main worries. coli found in cat poop can get onto vegetables if they are not handled properly, which could make you sick if you eat them.
Toxoplasma gondii parasites may also contaminate vegetables, posing a high health risk for pregnant women if consumed. The parasite can survive in soil for months or even years.
Overall, the composition of cat waste makes it potentially problematic in vegetable gardens compared to herbivore manure or standard compost ingredients.
Dangers of Using Cat Feces as Fertilizer
Some gardeners may think of cat feces as a free, natural fertilizer. However, there are significant dangers associated with using cat poop to enrich vegetable gardens:
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Direct contact risks: feces can land on vegetables while they are growing, being harvested, or being stored. Salmonella, E. coli, and other pathogens can be transmitted by direct contact.
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Water contamination – Rain, irrigation, or improper composting can wash cat feces into standing water used for crop irrigation. This spreads pathogens quickly.
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Soil contamination – Toxoplasma gondii parasites and other pathogens have long survival times in soil. These contaminants can be taken up by crop roots or transferred on garden tools.
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Spread of zoonotic diseases – Diseases like toxoplasmosis can spread from cats to humans through contact with infected feces. Using cat poop directly on food crops poses an unnecessary infection risk.
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Weed seed transfer – Undigested weed seeds in cat feces can sprout unwanted plants throughout the vegetable garden.
The bottom line is that the potential gains of nutrients from cat waste don’t outweigh the significant health and crop safety risks. There are safer, more effective ways to fertilize vegetable gardens.
Best Practices for Safe Handling and Disposal
If cat poop does end up in your vegetable garden, proper handling and disposal techniques are crucial. Here are some best practices to follow:
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Wear protective gloves when removing cat waste from the garden. Avoid direct skin contact.
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Use a designated plastic scoop, bag, and bucket for cat poop pickup. Don’t use gardening tools.
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Scoop waste immediately before rain or irrigation to avoid runoff into beds.
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Double bag the waste, seal it completely, and dispose of it with household trash. Don’t compost cat feces.
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BuryRemoved Waste at least 12 inches deep and far from any vegetable growing areas if disposal options are limited.
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Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling cat feces, even if gloves were worn.
Following safe handling and disposal procedures conscientiously can help prevent the spread of parasites, bacteria, and other risks associated with cat poop in vegetable gardens.
Preventative Measures to Keep Cats Out
Stopping cats from entering and soiling vegetable gardens in the first place is the best approach. Here are some tips:
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Install fencing or wire mesh around garden perimeters. Bury edges at least 12 inches to prevent digging under.
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Use motion-activated sprinklers and other deterrents around the garden’s exterior.
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Plant prickly, uncomfortable plants like rosemary or lavender as natural barriers.
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Use cat repellent sprays made with lemon, citrus, or pepper essence on garden beds. Reapply after rain.
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Provide an alternative place for cats to do their business, using sand or soil, away from the vegetable garden.
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Speak with neighbors if local cats are the culprits; they may be willing to keep pets indoors or contained.
With some creativity and commitment, cat damage in vegetable gardens can be significantly reduced through exclusion and deterrence.
Safer Alternatives to Cat Feces as Fertilizer
The good news is that there are many eco-friendly fertilizers perfectly suited for fertilizing vegetable gardens without the risks of cat feces:
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Composted manure – Composting manure from herbivores like horses, cows, rabbits, or chickens kills pathogens and renders it safe. Apply before planting or as side dressing.
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Cover crops and green manures – Growing nitrogen-fixing cover crops like legumes and clover then tilling them into beds fertilizes soil.
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** worm castings** – The excrement of worms, known as castings, is full of nutrients. It’s a safe, pathogen-free organic fertilizer.
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Bone meal – For phosphorus, bone meals made from animal bones supply steady, slow-release nutrition.
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Seaweed and fish emulsions – These provide a quick nitrogen boost and also contain potassium, micronutrients, and plant growth stimulants.
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Compost – Finished compost made without cat feces is an excellent, balanced fertilizer for vegetables.
Using alternatives like these removes the risks of contaminating food crops with harmful bacteria, parasites, and toxins. They provide all the nutrients vegetables need without jeopardizing health.
Precautions for Gardening Where Cats Have Been
If you plan to grow vegetables in an area where cat defecation was an issue in the past, extra care should be taken. Here are some tips:
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Test the soil – Have a lab analysis done to check for coliform bacteria and excess nitrogen. This will identify if contamination is present.
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Solarize the beds – Covering soil tightly with clear plastic during hot, sunny weather helps kill pathogens. Do this for at least 6 weeks.
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Replace the soil – For high-risk gardens, replacing 12-24 inches of topsoil entirely eliminates contamination.
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Delay edible crops – Start by planting flowers or cover crops for one season before growing vegetables.
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Use raised beds – Contained, raised garden beds with sterile potting mix prevent contact with in-ground contaminants.
With observation of proper precautions, it’s possible to reclaim vegetable garden spaces after cats have soiled the area. Always err on the side of caution when health risks are unclear.
When handled irresponsibly, cat poop can be a dangerous contaminant in vegetable gardens. From Salmonella to toxoplasmosis, fecal pathogens have the potential to make home-grown produce unsafe for consumption through direct and indirect transmission routes. However, by understanding best practices in cat waste removal, focusing on prevention, and exploring safer fertilizer alternatives, we can maintain thriving, healthful vegetable gardens alongside our feline friends. With proper precautions, cat poop doesn’t have to be a catastrophic problem for gardeners committed to safely producing their own nutritious food at home.
My neighbor’s cat used my vegetable garden as a litter bo Is it safe to plant and eat the vegetables from this garden?
I am writing with a question about gardening in cat poop. My neighbor’s cat, which I think is feral because of medical and other neglect, used my newly expanded garden as a litter box all fall and probably will again this spring. I am concerned about parasites and toxoplasmosis as well. Is it safe for my family and me to garden in these areas and eat from them? I would get rid of any “chunks” I see, but I’m not sure if it would be best to replace the soil. My kids probably won’t wash all their vegetables before eating them. They are free to pick and eat beans, cukes, tomatoes, etc. , and always have been. I don’t believe it would be an easy habit to break. Thank you so much for your time!.
Lynne M. Holland, Community Education Assistant, Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties
I have good news and bad news.
The good news is that if the “litterbox” activity ended last Fall then after a “scoop” of any visible piles you should be fine. Anything in the soil itself has been killed by the winter weather extremes.
The bad news is that you won’t be able to grow food in this bed until you stop the cat from getting in there when the snow melts this spring. I suggest covering the entire bed in a mulch fabric as soon as possible (even if there is a little snow). Normally, I would say newspaper or seaweed could work, but, I think in this case a material such as landscape cloth or landscape plastic would be best. Then I would get some chicken wire or hardware cloth and encircle the garden bed completely. That way, the cat would avoid that area. It doesn’t appear that talking to the neighbor is an option so you might also want to consider covering any sandbox-type play areas early in the season as well.
Cats are creatures of habit so if you can deter them early in the season you can make them learn a new habit. The secondary benefit is that you will have a mulched bed and if it is a dark color mulch, your soil will warm up soon. When it is time to plant, cut a small hole in the fabric or plastic where you want to plant, dig a hole, and place the plant in the hole.
Prickly and sharp materials
You can put prickly or uncomfortable to walk on materials in your growing beds. Things like pine cones, eggs shells, bramble or rose cuttings laid along the ground may deter cats from pooping in the garden where you want to plant. I’ve also seen small eating forks pushed into the soil (tines facing upwards) in an attempt to persuade cats to go elsewhere. Just be careful that the objects and materials that you use are not so spiky or sharp that they could harm the cats. Remember that if they could hurt a cat that means they could also hurt you as you garden! You are just aiming to make the area less inviting for the feline visitors to walk or dig in.
This is a cheap option, useful if you have established growing beds. And there are several different things that to use as prickly materials. However, it’s not an ideal choice if you work the beds frequently and there is the potential that the objects can get moved by the weather, rain or wind. Additionally, it’s not terribly practical if you have a large growing area to protect.
These devices detect movement and emit a high-frequency sound, which is almost inaudible to humans but is irritating to cats.
In the UK, you can find ultrasonic cat deterrent devices like the CATwatch cat deterrent and in USA something like the Pestbye® Battery Operated Motion Activated model. This is a safe and humane way to keep cats off of your garden. They usually have fully adjustable sensitivity and frequency. They deterrent is battery powered, so don’t need connecting to an electrical supply and they work 24 hours a day.
The movement detector is triggered and the sound is emitted over a fairly limited area, You will need to find the most effective places to put the device.
They are great because:
- They are simple to set up—just put the batteries in, do any necessary simple assembly, and put them in the garden.
- Minimum of maintenance required (although see the disadvantages below)
- The sound does not disturb humans
The downsides are:
- Batteries need to be replaced regularly. You need to check the device at regular intervals.
- Carefully needs to be placed, so it may take a few tries to find the right spot.
- Results are variable, as with all these methods.
Using a fence or netting can be highly effective when you have a small or specific area to protect from cats pooping in the garden. It’s a relatively simple solution, can be cost-effective over a small area and prevents cats reaching the part of the garden you want to protect. However, this method is unpractical for larger areas and may not look terribly attractive. You will need to cover the area completely, netting will need to go from side to side and cover over the top. Cats are excellent at jumping high and may find a way into your netting if left uncovered. They might then become trapped inside the netted area, so be sure to make any netting secure on all sides and over the top of the area.
I often use netting over young plants to protect them from cats digging them up. I use either a fruit cage or brassica cage with butterfly netting or a homemade brassica tunnel for a short length of time, while the young plants are getting established.
A spray deterrent is a motion-activated deterrent. It sprays a jet of water to surprise the cat away from the garden. Not just used to stop cats from pooping in the garden, it is effective for most animals. And can be used in more extensive gardens.
In USA something like this Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler with Day & Night Detection Modes. And in UK , this PestBye Jet Spray. They use infrared sensors and can detect movement and heat up to 10 metres (33+ feet) away. Cats will quickly learn the area is off limits and usually won’t return. However, you could keep the deterrent in place as a precaution.
The advantages of a water spray cat deterrent are:
- Since they are adjustable, you can point the water spray exactly where you want it to go.
- They are designed to be long-lasting
- They work well against cats and can also keep other animals away.
But there are some disadvantages:
- They can be a more expensive method
- For that reason, you might not find it as useful in a small garden.
- It requires continual connection to a water supply
Cats don’t seem to like walking across chicken wire, so another deterrent could be to lay chicken wire on the ground surrounding the plants. This can work well in smaller areas, but for larger garden beds it is not the most practical idea. Although it should stop cats digging the soil, I have found that the neighbourhood cats are undeterred and simply squat on top of the chicken wire. This makes cleaning up an even more unpleasant job than when they have buried their ‘gifts’ in the soil!
Potentially you could create a cat-proof fence and use a netting barrier or try anti-cat spikes along the top of the fence. The spikes are designed to make it awkward for a cat to walk along the fence, not to harm it.
Unless you can cover over the top of your garden with netting, I am not convinced that this method is very effective. Cats are incredibly agile, intelligent animals and can usually find a way out of an area unless if is full enclosed. Cats will roam a distance from their homes every day as seen in Secret Life of the Cat
courtesy of Esther Spekle
How To Stop Cats From Pooping In The Garden??Super Easy & Safe Methods
FAQ
Is cat feces bad for vegetable garden?
Cat feces have the potential to contaminate the soil and anything growing in it with diseases such as toxoplasmosis and with larger parasites, hence you’re not supposed to grow edible in a “cat box” area.
How to stop cats pooping in a vegetable garden?
Some of the most common methods are: Using citrus peels, vinegar, or coffee grounds to create a scent-based repellent that cats dislike. You can sprinkle these substances around your garden or spray them with water. You can use water, noise, or motion to create a scare-based deterrent that cats fear.
Should you remove cat poop from the garden?
The poop is fine because it feeds the plants, but the pee will kill them.
Will cat pee ruin my vegetable garden?
N2 in urine is urea, and if it is not diluted, it can burn plant roots and kill the plant. If you suspect that the cat has been peeing in the soil, then you should probably give the plant a really good watering to dilute the urea.