Cat poo on my veg!

[BabyPumpkin]

Hi

I have 2 cats and although I would love to stop them pooing on my veg it is impossible, so what I really want to know is is it safe to eat my vegetables if the cats have been pooing on my plot or do I have to scrap all of the veg on the plot

Thanks

[tattiefritter]

I hope its safe! I just scoop it up when I notice when the little fuzzbucket has left me a present and bin it.

I can't see how it would affect the veg unless they actually pooed on say a tomato and you then ate it. My cat doesn't tend to bother the plants themselves once they are established, just loves the nice dug over ground around the plants.

Just noticed you do say "on" your veg, if it is on the veg and not around it I would bin that particular bit of veg.

[cms]

Have you tried pushing some thin whippy twigs in between the veg plants to discourage the cats? We had a bag full of beech hedge trimmings this spring, which I pushed well in to the veg beds so that they ranged from 10 cm to 30 cm tall above the soil, close enough to stop not only a cat easily traipsing through but also to discourage birds from digging up the seeds.

As the seedlings have grown I have reduced the number of twigs - birds now welcome to hop in and eat unhelpful insect life, cats not welcome and obviously working because next door's cats have kept right away.

When I have finished with the twigs they will be getting chopped up small and added to the compost.

Cathy

[BabyPumpkin]

Thanks for the comments.

No it wasn't on the veg just near it, I wondered if they absorbed it through their roots, people have said not to use it as fertilise but I expect that is because it is mixed into the soil rather than on top and scooped regularly. I will now go back to eating my salad without the fear of going blind!

I will try the twigs, I have tried laying holly flat in the hope that it would spike them (only a little bit as I do love my cats) but I do not think that I had enough.

[Birdie Wife]

I take it you're a dog person then TEB?!

[TEB]

what ever gives you that idea , but it does make a change for a cat to shat on its own turf. Last night I was seriously considering taking my dog and getting him to shat where my neighbour kid's play in their garden to see if they appreciate it

[cms]

TEB do you advocate this solution for all pest control? (your first post not the second!)

I have a mental image of a row of various sizes of furry hides alongside some even smaller slimy hides - with a row of rabbits, moles, mice, slugs scurrying (okay not sure if slugs scurry much) out the gate in search of a new home!

Dog control is simple - they don't go in my part of the garden at all unless I invite them and then they lie down - and in return I don't rampage round their area of the garden digging it up and doing other less mentionable things!

[TEB]

I only have problems with the neighbours cats and the odd pigeon

[wormlady]

Cat poo can spread toxicoplasmosis so personally I wouldnt eat anything that had cat poo anywhere near it, you must be especially careful if you are pregnant with this. I found holly sprigs laid about works quite well but you do have to make sure there are no cat-bum-sized gaps in it!

[tattiefritter]

Some information on Toxoplasmosis here:

http://www.cats.org.uk/catcare/leafl..._5min_toxo.pdf

Good hygiene and washing all fruit and veg obviously helps.

[leona]

i hear the only way to deal with cats is to get a supersoaker water gun and shoot them. unfortunately my local kamikazi cat (i have 4 dogs, whats why we call it that) only comes at night. it also likes to sit on the doorstep and wait for the dogs to come home. no idea how the thing is still alive...

[Flummery]

Cat poo on veg? I like gravy on mine!

Thought I'd get that in before Nick or Snadger!

[Two_Sheds]

I don't hate cats, but there are too many of them and they are almost totally uncontrolled. If a dog behaved like that (killing other animals, digging up flowerbeds, sh+tting everywhere) it would be put down.
I am sitting indoors, back door open. We don't have a cat, and next door only has a Rottweiler. Yet a ruddy great big furry ginger cat has just strolled in, confident as you like. He certainly left quicker than he arrived, and less dignified - out the door, up the fence vertically, nearly fell into Rotty pit, up onto tile roof and away. I didn't get a chance to skin it.

[rustylady]

I actually like cats as individual, furry, cuddly things that you can talk to and they don't answer back (much). I just hate the fact that they climb into my garden over a 6' fence and **** in my borders!! Why the h++l don't their owners provide them with litter trays?

[momol]

Cat poo can spread toxicoplasmosis so personally I wouldnt eat anything that had cat poo anywhere near it, you must be especially careful if you are pregnant with this. I found holly sprigs laid about works quite well but you do have to make sure there are no cat-bum-sized gaps in it!

Like what worm lady said cat can spread toxoplasma, they are natural vector of this parasite ( plus birds, ape/ monkeys... ). Cat can spread worms to human too ( not the groung worm but parasitic one !!! ). I will not eat those veggie raw if I were you... I personally will not eat them for those reasons...

Momol