Can Cat Feces Make a Good Fertilizer for Grass?

Cats should be deterred from using the lawn as a litter box.

Animal manure is often used in making compost, but cat feces should never be used as fertilizer for grass in your yard. Doing so can cause serious health consequences for homeowners.

Warning

Composted manure used for fertilizing grass or plants is made from the feces of animals who are vegetarian. Cats are primarily carnivorous. Their feces can carry parasites like roundworm eggs and diseases such as toxoplasmosis that can contaminate the soil, causing illness in humans.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a common infectious disease carried by cats, which is transmissible to humans through cat feces. Pregnant woman and people with autoimmune disorders in particular are at high risk of illness through contact with cat waste. Another means of transmission to humans is through children playing in a yard with contaminated soil.

Considerations

Commercial cat repellents should be used regularly to discourage cats from using the yard as a litter box. Cats are also averse to strong odors. Spreading substances like ginger, pepper or citrus peel around the yard may discourage them.

References

• Companion Animal Parasite Council: Toxoplasmosis and Cats
• Tucson Organic Gardeners: Manure... Soil Food
• Washington State University: No Dog or Cat Feces in the Garden

Resources

• Plant-Care: Lawn Fertilizer