Cat Information

Is it okay to use old cat litter as compost for flowers?

My cat uses Feline Pine cat litter which is all natural and I am wondering if it would hurt to put it to use and use it around my flowers after the cat has used it. I know manure is often used in mulch and compost but I want to know if I can use the waste AND the litter? I wondering more if the litter itself will help. If I am not mistaken it is made from pine trees.

Public Comments

1. Cat poop contains nothing useful for your garden.
2. no. it will change the ph of the flowers. not only that, it is unattractive, and it will break down the nutrients in the soil. no no no.
3. Try mushroom compost, you will have beautiful flowers.
4. Despite my learned colleague's comment, manure is an excellent source of nitrogen (and other stuff as well.) Toxoplasmosis: a microbe, transferred in feces, which has little or no effect on cats or people, EXCEPT that it may do serious harm to a developing fetus. Pregnant women should be cautions in their contact with cats, expecially the excrement. Oocysts can survive in the environment for several months and are remarkably resistant to disinfectants, freezing, and drying, but are killed by heating to 70°C for 10 minutes. This would suggest that it might survive in the soil until maybe years later. With rare exceptions, animal feces must be WELL-ROTTED before you put it on your garden. If not, it'll kill the plants. (You've probably seen how dog crap causes dead spots on a lawn, for example.)
5. Never put cat or dog feces, including the litter, into compost. Carnivore feces contain dangerous organisms, and are especially dangerous to pregnant women. Other manures, such as rabbit, pig, cow, should be allowed to decompose for a year before using, as fresh manure is very acidic and will burn your plants. It's best to buy packaged manure for your garden that has already been composted.
6. Yes, much better to add your used cat litter to the mountain of landfilled waste rather than taking responsibility for it yourself. <Irony off> I've composted sawdust-based cat litter for years. Apart from the considerations surrounding toxoplasmosis, there's nothing at all wrong with using it on your flower bed.