The most expensive coffee in the world comes from cat faeces. Its price varies between 800 and 1,200 euros. Although coffee made from cat poop is considered a delicacy, most people do not associate good thoughts with the animal remains.

Cat feces can transmit diseases, but little more than the cat itself

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. recognize cat feces
  3. Cat droppings in the garden
  4. Sick from cat poo?
  5. jurisprudence
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • Cat feces are dark to light brown in color and have a faint foul odor. It differs from marten droppings in small abnormalities.
    • In order to prevent cats from defecating in the garden, it should be designed in an unattractive way for the four-legged friends. Some plants emit intense aromas that deter cats.
    • Cats can transmit toxoplasmosis or worms through their feces. Dogs eat the droppings for a variety of reasons.
    • According to case law, hobby gardeners must tolerate cat droppings.

    What does cat poop look like?

    The color of the feces varies slightly depending on the cat's diet

    Cats do their business every 24 to 36 hours. They look for a substrate in which to bury the remains. Therefore, you can often find cat droppings in the sandpit. The droppings are deep brown or caramel-like in color and have a firm texture that is not too hard or soft. The legacies are elongated in shape and pliable. They exude a light and not too putrid smell of feces. If the images deviate from healthy cat faeces, this evaluation system will help to identify the cause:

    health problem feces abnormalities
    constipation extremely hard and dry Going to the toilet is difficult and remarkably rare
    diarrhea mushy to runny to watery apathetic behavior or fever when ill
    wrong diet soft, often light brown or shiny Odor intense, fetid
    inflammation of the pancreas light and greasy frequent visits to the toilet
    tar stool black Odor extremely strong

    Marten droppings or cat droppings?

    It is typical that cats bury their faeces, while martens leave their toilets exposed. In contrast to martens, cats are pure carnivores, so there are no undigested remains of nuts or berries in their faeces. Martens use a toilet spot more often, so old and fresh droppings can be found in one place. If you are unsure which culprit did his business in the bed, compare pictures from the Internet. These features are typical of marten droppings:

    • sausage-shaped and about an inch thick
    • twisted slightly in a spiral
    • tapered at the ends
    • eight to ten inches long
    • often mixed with remains of fur and feathers or seeds
    • very unpleasant smell

    What to do about cat droppings in the garden?

    If you want to combat cat droppings in the garden, you need to learn about the preferences of house tigers. They love places that are warm and dry. A soft and sandy surface is ideal for your business and pets can cause nasty surprises in beds and sandboxes or on the lawn.

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    Effective remedies for cat droppings in the garden

    With simple tricks, you can make your garden safe for cats without injuring the house tiger and thus incurring the anger of the cat owner. Design the environment in such a way that it is as unattractive as possible for the four-legged friend and that they have no access options:

    • insurmountable barrier to entry: Plant two-metre-tall shrubs such as hawthorn and barberries
    • off-putting aromas: Sprinkle pepper or chili powder on the bed and lawn
    • unwanted shower: Place the rotary sprinkler on the lawn and equip it with a motion detector
    • unattractive ground: Distribute plant fleece, pebbles or bark mulch in the bed

    If you want to repel cats with water, you should not splash the animal directly. Pointing a long-range water pistol in the direction of the cat is enough. Many house tigers run away when they get slightly wet. However, the method does not work for all cats.

    Prevent cat droppings in the garden - natural measures

    Many hobby gardeners have had good experiences with dense planting. If the four-legged friends do not find any open spaces to dig, they continue to search. Leave faded perennials over the winter. The dried plant stems act as a natural repellent, because cats avoid substrates with stinging objects.

    Deterrent Plants

    Cats don't like the smell of curry herb

    Cats have a very fine sense of smell, which is better developed than that of humans. They can detect numerous smells that are hidden from the human nose. Conversely, smells that are pleasant for us are too intense for the cat's nose and lead to a deterrent. A cat's sense of smell develops throughout life. Cats are less likely to be unsettled by unpleasant smells if they have been familiar with these aromas from a young age.

    These plants are considered cat-repellent:

    • herbs: Curry herb (Helichrysum italicum), Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
    • scented herbs: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
    • ornamental herbs: Rue (Ruta graveolens), Balkan cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum)

    background

    That's what a cat smells like

    Cats orient themselves primarily by sight, but their sense of smell plays a central role in everyday life. Their number of olfactory cells is three times higher than the number of sensory cells in the human nose. Cats have 60 million of these tiny olfactory bulbs.

    In the first few weeks, a newborn kitten only uses its nose to find its way to the teat. It only opens its eyes in the third week of life. The sense of smell also plays an important role in later life, because communication via scents such as pheromones is an important option for conveying messages.

    Piss off plant (Plectranthus ornatus)

    In 2001, the plant attracted particular attention when the Swabian breeder Dieter Stegmeier discovered its deterrent effect. When crushed, the leaves give off a special smell reminiscent of menthol. Cats, rabbits, martens and dogs perceive the aroma even before it is crushed and stay away from the plant, so they go elsewhere for their scent marks and aftertaste.

    How to place the plant:

    • at least two plants per square meter
    • a low perennial hedge is ideal
    • optimum aroma development in sunny and dry locations

    What are the dangers of cat poop?

    Diseases can emanate from cat feces. Viruses, bacteria or parasites are often transmitted by smear infection. You should therefore keep a watchful eye if you discover any abnormalities in the legacies or if the faeces smells extremely bad. Blood in cat faeces indicates an upper digestive tract disease, but does not pose an infectious risk. It becomes more dangerous if you find worms in cat faeces.

    Worms are the worst thing that comes from cat poop. However, toxoplasmosis is a serious disease in pregnant women.

    Toxoplasmosis - danger during pregnancy

    Toxoplasmosis is a danger for pregnant women

    Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that is common in cats. The pathogen is a parasite that uses the cat as the main host. Affected animals rarely experience symptoms such as diarrhea. Humans often contract toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked pork. Therefore, vegetarians are less likely to be infected with the disease. In healthy people, the disease is usually asymptomatic. Rarely, the following symptoms can occur:

    • light fever
    • Swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
    • fatigue
    • Pain in head and limbs

    Infected people do not need treatment. Once the disease has healed, the organism forms antibodies and prevents re-infection. If women become infected for the first time during pregnancy, there are risks for the newborn. It can lead to miscarriage or damage to the unborn child.

    Help, my baby ate cat poo

    If your cat is healthy and dewormed regularly, there is no danger for the little explorers. They can become infected with parasites if they put cat feces in their mouths while playing in the sandbox. Therefore, do not panic and examine the feces for possible abnormalities such as worms.

    tips

    Spread apple cider vinegar in the bed or stick garlic cloves in the soil. Cats do not like both at all, so you avoid your garden as a toilet place.

    Cat Scratch Disease - Cat droppings make you blind?

    This disease is caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae, which is present in up to 70 percent of cats. It gets into the human organism through scratch injuries and can also be transmitted through cuddling units. Cat fleas and their faeces are another source of infection. It is not known that the disease is transmitted through cat faeces. The disease is usually benign and is characterized by swelling of the lymph nodes. Typical are red-brown papules on the contact wound, which disappear spontaneously after a few days.

    Symptoms in immunocompromised people:

    • rarely skin diseases
    • blood-filled cysts in the liver
    • Inflammation of the meninges or inner lining of the heart
    • Inflammation of the optic nerve with subsequent blindness

    Why do dogs eat cat poop?

    Eating feces is known in professional circles as coprophagia. Some dogs will eat the debris from the litter box if it is not cleaned right away. This behavior is not only disgusting but also dangerous for humans and animals. Parasites, viruses and bacteria can be transferred to the dog and stick to the muzzle, paws or fur. In this way they get into the human organism during the next cuddle session.

    Possible reasons for poop eating:

    • Lack of hygiene in the kennel
    • Stress from strict upbringing
    • Frustration from frequent loneliness
    • habitual behavior to get attention
    • Parasitic infestation or disease of the pancreas

    For many animals, eating feces is a sign of nutrient deficiency. The fact that the dogs suffer from an insufficient supply of nutrients could not be confirmed in practice. Basically, if you observe these behaviors in your dog, coprophagia should be stopped immediately. If the habit persists for a long time, you should take the situation seriously and investigate the exact cause.

    Cat droppings in the law

    Homeowners are subject to a duty of mutual consideration in the neighborly relationship. This also means that the property owner must tolerate visits from the neighbour's cats. A ban on keeping cats is illegal in most cases. If it is considered normal for cats to run around in a residential area, there are no legal measures against the animal legacies in the garden.

    tips

    Lining your beds with rose cuttings will make the area unattractive to cats. They avoid the thorny ground because they could injure their soft paws.

    frequently asked Questions

    How can I remove cat feces from the carpet?

    Dirty carpets should be cleaned as soon as possible

    Remove the residue from the carpet as quickly as possible with a plastic bag before it dries up. Lay out absorbent towels to soak up any traces of urine. Clean the area with a lukewarm soapy solution until all residue is removed. Bottled water is an old household tip that is good for treating stains and wool carpets. You can remove the smell with baking soda.

    For some time I have been observing a particularly stubborn tomcat who keeps doing his business in my garden. What helps against cat droppings in the garden?

    Such evildoers can be deterred with a cocktail of intensely scented substances. Use an empty margarine mug and pour boiling water over a black tea bag. Let the tea steep for a few minutes and add a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil. A few splashes of Tabasco round off the intense fragrance cocktail.

    Close the cup with the plastic lid and poke a few holes with a nail. Strategically bury the jar up to the lid so it stands safe and secure. The cocktail will spread its scent over the bed in the coming days.

    I have tried every measure to keep cats out of my garden. Nothing worked. What to do?

    Make a virtue out of necessity and set up a special place for the cat to keep its legacy. They do their business preferably in dry and sunny places where the substrate is loose. Dig a hole 1 square meter in area and 10 to 20 centimeters deep and fill the hole with sand. So that you don't have to see the litter box every day, you can use certain plants as a border:

    • Catnip (Nepeta x faassenii)
    • Amur ray pen (Actinidia kolomikta)
    • Germander (Teucrium)
    • True valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

    The four-legged friends are attracted to the scents of these plants and are thus distracted from your beds. If the sand is heavily contaminated, you can bury it in the garden. With this variant you do not expect any nasty surprises when tending the bed and you always know where the cat droppings are.

    How can I dispose of litter with cat waste?

    You can flush cat poop down the toilet if there isn't a large amount of litter left on it. However, you should not empty the entire litter box in the toilet, as otherwise the pipes can become clogged. Plant fiber or paper litter, on the other hand, can also go into the sewage treatment system because these substrates do not clump together in the pipes. There are special cat poop bags and bins that you can use to store leftovers. Cat droppings are not recommended as fertilizer.

Category:

Animals in the garden