Can I Compost Cat waste and litter?
(From the Pet bedding & other waste category | 4 comments - join the conversation)
No, you shouldn’t compost cat waste or cat litter.
As meat (and random stuff) eaters, cats’ faeces contain all sorts of nasty bugs and dangerous organisms that you don’t want mixed in with your compost – particularly if you’re going to be using it on your veg bed. Although it’s tempting to add wood-based or paper-based litters to the heap (since they do break down quickly), it’s best to avoid anything that has come into contact with that potentially problematic poop.
(Wee is not such a problem – healthy urine is typical sterile – but the clumped litter might have come into contact with faeces at some point.)
If you’d rather not send it to landfill and have the space, you may want to explore a dedicated pet poo bin: dug into the ground and treated regularly with proprietary product (some are harsh chemicals, some are kinder to the environment), they break down poo quickly and without stinking up the place. Make sure you pick a litter that is 100% natural material/biodegradable, and any litter tray liners are biodegradable too so that they will break down along with the poo.
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I am glad you have covered this topic because I have been putting my kitties used clumping litter in the compost for years and I havnt seen any adverse effects in doing it.
I would recommend only putting litter in the compost if it is the warmer months and if you have no snow where you come from you should be fine.
On the other hand if it goes get snowy in the winter seasons then I would highly recommend not putting you litter in the compost as it get stays there and it takes a lot longer to rot away.
I am not sure about the blue crystal litter, but judging by how the blue crystal litter react it goes get pretty messy.
thanks
I have read other articles agreeing with what you say about the solid waste not being OK to compost. I have been using a dedicated ‘poo bin’ as you call it. I just got a large trash bin and gave it a tight fitting lid. It seems to be a good system. However I can’t do anything about the ‘prizes’ my ragdoll leaves in the yard :).
Thanks for covering this topic, many people think if a litter is biodegradable it’s ok to compost, they don’t think of the poo.
and the other hand if it goes get cold in the winter conditions then I would highly recommend not putting you litter in the fragment as it get stays on there and it requires a lot longer to rot away.
I think it all depends on what type of litter you are using. If you are using silica or bentonite litter, I agree. Do not use it as compost, but if you are using al natural pellets made of dried grass, pine wood or even coconut. Then it’s perfectly fine to use the litter as compost. In case you want to know more about natural litters which can be used, this is an interesting article to read.