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Compost as cat litter?

post #1 of 4
12/4/10 at 7:29am
Thread Starter 
I've found lots of discussions about using cat litter as compost, but haven't found any discussions about this: Is it safe to use compost AS cat litter? I've been using a good quality garden compost from my local nursery as cat litter for several months. Cheaper than litter, no switchover problems, no smell -- in fact, I usually just catch that "sweet" compost smell. It doesn't seem to track as badly as other litters. I start out with about an inch in the box and then add more over the week. Then I dump the used stuff in a low-traffic area of the yard (not in the veggie garden). Use a rake to spread it out; might throw some cut grass on top to help accelerate breakdown. So far, I'm liking this. But my vet wonders about possible health concerns for the cat; she wonders if the "fresh" compost from the nursery contains bacteria/pathogens that might be harmful to the cats. I'm thinking No, but only because: Hey, if I use this stuff on my veggie garden, how harmful can it be to my cats? Is it reasonable to assume that the compost I buy at a nursery is safe for the cats to use?
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post #2 of 4
12/4/10 at 8:46am
"Compost" can have a wide range of ingredients. Coming at it from a gardener's viewpoint - even wood chips for mulch are a variable. I've seen old office partitions shredded up with bits of plastic included. So my first question would be what's the source of their compost.

Second would be how composted is it? Compost goes through stages. Partially broken down still has somewhat recognizable coarse chunks. Completely composted smells like forest floor duff, kind of mushroom-y, and has a fine texture, ingredients are non-recognizable.

My last question is how damp is the purchased compost when you buy it? Home-made compost is about as damp as a wrung out sponge. Do you buy this stuff in bulk, or is it kiln dried and bagged?

What's the advantage of compost vs kitty litter - that you are throwing it out in the garden rather than the garbage?
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post #3 of 4
12/12/10 at 7:09am
Thread Starter 
Here's my question being addressed in a blog about compost.

http://crazyaboutcompost.com/2010/12...as-cat-litter/
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post #4 of 4
12/12/10 at 7:49am
As an avid gardener with a compost pile, there's no way I'd use compost as cat litter. I don't put my cats' waste in the compost pile either, but I use WBCL and spread the old litter on my yard.
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