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Subject: Re: recycling cat feces
From: "Scott O'Keeffe" <M.S.OKeeffe@uq.net.au>
Organization: University of Queensland
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 01 07:20:22
Message-ID: <MOD$010220.2179@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$001223.13091@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$010209.14781@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Just to be pedantic, its toxoplasmosis, not taxa...

Scott O'Keeffe

JAKozup wrote in message ...
>
>I read the "Humanure Book" on-line and did a search about Taxoplasmosis.
>I have six cats, but only about 5000 sq ft of yard. The facts about cat
>fesces are:
>1. Hot composting(at least 160 degrees F for 5-7 days)will kill taxo cysts.
> 1-2 days of below 0 degrees F will also kill the Taxo cysts.
>2. The procedure for safely composting cat or dog fesces is
> a) Hot composting to achieve 160 degree temperatures.
> Be sure! Use a compost thermometer. It must be maintained
> for at least 5 days, then the pile turned and 160 degrees for
> another 5 days, I usually get another turn and another 5 days
> of high heat--but I have access to a supply of goat manure.
> b) Long settling period, over at least one cold season.
> The Humanure guy suggests at least 2 years after which time the
> compost can be used even for food crops!
>3. Burying the cat fesces at least 12 inches deep, as suggested by the
first
> post, will work because even if the cysts survive the freezing
>temperatures
> (or if you don't have freezing temperatures)they will be too far below
> the surface for any likelihood of another creature ingesting them, with
> the exception of earthworms--who probably won't transport them close
> enough to the surface for worry. The cysts will die after 5-6 years
>without
> a host. Obviously the deeper you go, the less likely it is to cause
any
> problems to anyone in the future--2 to 2.5 feet is the deepest I'd go
>because
> then even potatoes wouldn't be within 1 foot of the cat fesces residue.
> I think potatoes are the deepest growing food crop. Especially if you
> are growing food crops, bury about a foot below the furthest down that
> the deepest tubers will be!!
>4. Encourage your cats to "use" a certain area of your yard by making it
> more inviting to them--(and make sure your children do not play there)
> a) loosen the soil to make it attractive for them to bury their poop.
> I use an EZ-Tiller($5)which is like a garden weasel cultivator-
> a device with 3 spoked wheels to loosen the soil(easier than
>digging)
> and is used by rolling it along the ground.
> b) add builders(coarse)sand to make it drain well
>
>I compost my six cat's manure using the hot composting and then a yearlong
>seasoning(over at least one sub-zero winter). I then use that compost in
>my flower beds(I don't grow food crops on my wooded and shaded yard).
>
>I hope this was helpful
>John A. Kozup
>Northeastern Ohio
> wrote in message
>news:MOD$001223.13091@rec.gardens.ecosystems...
>>
>> I was wondering about the possibility of recycling cat feces. I have two
>> cats. I don't like to just flush it down the toilet, as it increases the
>> chances that my toilet will stop up, and I don't like to put it in the
>> garbage, either, as that seems unsanitary and smelly for the garbage
>> people to have to deal with. We have a really big yard (about 1.6 acres)
>> and I'd like to be able to just bury it and have nature take care of it.
>>
>> Does anyone have any suggestions or know of any way to decompose the cat
>> feces once it's buried so it is not liable to spread disease to other
>> animals? Or do you know of any literature that deals with the subject?
>> Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>
>> Sent via Deja.com
>> http://www.deja.com/
>>
>>
>
>