Is Cat Poop Good Fertilizer for Flowers? The Pros and Cons

Every cat owner has to deal with cat poop. No matter how much we love our cats, no one likes having to clean their litter boxes. People who own cats often wonder if they can use their cat’s waste as garden fertilizer. At first glance, it seems like a good way to turn pet waste into something useful for your plants. But it’s likely that the risks are greater than the benefits of using cat poop as fertilizer. We’ll talk about the pros and cons in this article so you can make an informed choice.

An Overview of Cat Poop as Fertilizer

Cat poop looks like it could be used as organic fertilizer at first glance. Cat poop, like most animal waste, has nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter that plants might be able to use. Some gardeners see cat poop as “free fertilizer” because it is full of nutrients and organic compounds and comes in the form of a pet that they already care for. This might seem like a better way to reuse your cat’s waste than just sending loads of poop to the dump.

However, there are good reasons why cat feces are not recommended for use as fertilizer, particularly for edible gardens Cat poop has risks and downsides that often outweigh any potential fertilizer benefits.

Potential Benefits of Cat Poop Fertilizer

Here are some of the main advantages that make cat poop fertilizer look promising:

• Nutrient Content – Cat feces contain nitrogen phosphorus potassium and micronutrients that plants need for healthy growth. The nitrogen in particular acts as an excellent fertilizer.

• Organic Matter—Adding cat poop to garden beds can add organic matter that can improve the structure, aeration, and retention of water.

• Free and Convenient – For cat owners, this waste is always abundant and ready to collect for free instead of purchasing commercial fertilizers.

• Reduces Waste – Finding a use for cat poop keeps it out of landfills and gives it a purpose.

• Pet Owner Appeal: For cat lovers, reusing their cat’s poop can feel like a meaningful way to recycle an animal which they love.

Risks and Downsides of Using Cat Poop as Fertilizer

However, there are several significant risks that must be carefully weighed against any benefits before applying cat feces as fertilizer:

• Health Hazards – Cat feces can contain dangerous pathogens including Toxoplasma gondii, Campylobacter, Salmonella and parasites that can infect humans.

• Pet Hazards – Weed seeds often pass intact through cat digestive systems, posing risks of spreading weeds and grasses in gardens.

• Soil Contamination – Poop may contain heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and other toxins that can accumulate.

• Odors – Cat feces have an extremely strong, unpleasant odor even when composted thoroughly.

• Weed Seeds – Cat poop often contains seeds from weeds, grasses and other plants the cat has ingested, which then take root in garden beds.

Overall, these substantial risks seem to outweigh the potential fertilizer value for most gardeners in many situations. However, some people still choose to experiment with cat poop fertilizer, so next we’ll look at some best practices to reduce (but not eliminate) the risks.

Composting Cat Poop Before Use

Some organic gardeners assume composting cat waste first will neutralize risks and make feces safe for edible gardens. Unfortunately, many hazards remain even after thorough composting:

• Composting does not reliably kill all pathogens, viruses or weed seeds in cat feces.

• Pharmaceuticals, heavy metals and other contaminants are not broken down through composting.

• The strong odor associated with cat poop persists even after composting.

• As carnivores, cat digestive systems do not produce nutrient-rich manure suitable for gardens.

For these reasons, most experts recommend never applying cat manure to food gardens, even if composted extensively. The risks still outweigh the very limited benefits.

Best Practices If You Do Use Cat Poop Fertilizer

While not recommended, some gardeners still choose to experiment with cat poop. If you wish to try using cat feces fertilizer, follow these best practices to reduce (not eliminate) the risks:

• Only use feces from your own healthy indoor cat to reduce contamination risks. Never use poop from an unfamiliar outdoor cat.

• Only apply thoroughly composted cat poop to ornamental non-edible plantings like flowers, trees or shrubs. Never use on edibles.

• Double-compost cat feces by composting, removing, then re-composting in a new batch before using in gardens.

• Always wear gloves and wash hands, clothes and tools thoroughly after handling cat poop.

• Apply composted cat poop as a thin layer worked into the soil, rather than direct contact with stems and leaves.

• Have soil tested periodically for nutrient buildup and pH changes from repeated applications.

Even with these precautions, the risks likely still outweigh benefits in most home garden settings. For fertilizer, choose a product designed for your specific plants rather than experimenting with cat feces. Your plants will reap more benefits, and you’ll avoid the pitfalls that cat poop can bring to your garden!

At first glance, cat poop seems like an appealing organic fertilizer packed with nutrients conveniently available for free. However, substantial risks from pathogens, contaminants, odor issues and weed seeds often make cat feces a poor choice for fertilizing gardens. Even composted cat poop carries higher risks compared to benefits for most gardeners. While some people do choose to experiment with cat fertilizer under carefully controlled conditions, experts agree cat manure should be kept far away from edible food gardens. For home gardeners seeking an organic fertilizer, purpose-made plant foods are a much safer bet than cat poop.