kitty litter ?????

[dovehollis]

first off let my say hi to all this is my first poast after lurking in the backround for awhile, lots of information here so I just had to join anyways what about adding my cats used litter to my small but growing pile. my mom is of the opinion it will attract other cats and things like racooons. I think if I bury the cat litter enough it wont be an isssue. Thanks for all the great advice !!

[cynthia_h]

I would *not* recommend placing used cat litter in the compost pile. Cat waste (fecal, esp.) can carry pathogens which ordinary home composting cannot kill. Even commercial composting sometimes doesn't reach temperatures high enough to kill the toxoplasmosis pathogen.

I have cats (and dogs) and I have a slow, cool compost set-up which occasionally actually becomes warm. Never hot, though. None of the animal waste goes into the compost.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[rot]

... 
There's nothing casual about composting what the cat leaves behind. Composting that type of stuff needs to be managed.

Short answer: don't do it.

Hard answer: better do your research. A good start: https://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.html#
... 

[smokensqueal]

Nope I wouldn't do it. You risk more then what you would gain. Just not worth the risk in my opinion.

[scribbler]

My understanding of composting and using animal waste for fertilizer is to only use the droppings of non-meat-eating animals.

Also, after we buried some of that bio-degradable wheat-based litter in our woods, the raccoons dug it up and ATE IT! eeeuuuwww yucky.

[cynthia_h]

Here's a pretty thorough discussion re. animal waste in compost piles:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12263

Cynthia