This past year, however, my backyard has been a haven for cats. The house two doors down is home to three kittens, Willow, Oreo and Katie, and they are, for the most part, pretty good cats. They're extremely tolerant of my toddler and are always happy to see us. My cat, Vernon, sometimes tries to protect the house through the glass door, but more often than not, comes away with his tail between his legs and mildly concussed. Needless to say, the cats in the neighbourhood are okay. At least, that's what I thought until I realized they were using my veggie plot as their own personal kitty litter.Now, I'm a big fan of cats. I'm not a "cat lady" per se, but I do have two of my own. I am not, however, an avid believer of the "outdoor cat". Mostly because coming home to a flatten kitten on my driveway is not high on my list of priorities. This is why my cats are indoor cats.
The issue of kitten poop in my vegetable garden is definitely top of mind as I'm pregnant, as as many of you know, cat feces is a HUGE no-no for those who are gestating because of Toxoplasmosis. What is Toxoplasmosis you ask?
(definition taken from http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/pregnancy/illness/180.html)
"Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can threaten the health of an unborn child. It is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite multiplies in the intestine of cats and is shed in cat feces, mainly into litter boxes and garden soil. You can get the parasite by handling cat litter or soil where there is cat feces. You can also get the parasite from eating undercooked meat (such as rare beef) from animals infected with the parasite."
So, this means that until the veggie garden is completely cleared of cat crap, I'm not allowed around it. My husband is, of course, a trooper and spent his afternoon yesterday removing all the logs of excrement so that he could till and turn the dirt. But I have a feeling that this new soil won't deter those little bastards one bit.
How do I prevent my last little bit of repose from disappearing before this new bundle of joy arrives in a little over a month's time? The internet gives me a couple of clues...
Some completely outlandish:
* Put some small sticks pushed into the ground like spikes. (Who am I? Vlad the Impaler?)
* Spray water at them when they come into your yard (If I was home 24 hours a day with nothing better to do, this might work...?)
* Put moth balls in your garden as cats don't like the smell (Have you smelled moth balls? I'm pretty sure I hate the smell MORE than the cats, therefore, this is NOT an option)
* Put some disinfectant fluid around the edges of the garden. The fluid is actually quite poisonous to cats and will kill them in fairly small amounts. (Did someone actually write this down without being turned in to the police? Hello????)
And some may actually be worth a try:
* Keep orange and lemon peels in your garden, as cats hate the smell of citrus
* Plant geraniums, marigolds and petunias to keep cats away (again because of the smell)
* Place a small length of hosepipe in amongst your plants, cats don't like snakes! (not sure if cats are that dumb, but I could give it a go)
* Invest in a bag of coffee grounds and spread around the garden
I guess I'll spend the next few days designing and implementing my plan, and keep my fingers crossed that it will work. I feel a bit bad that I'm shooing these little guys away, as I have no issue with them other than their poop, but my veggies must grow and they must grow with the help of only cow and sheep manure. Call me crazy, but I don't think cat manure carries the same fertilizing quality.
Generally speaking, I'm not normally one to tell people what to do with their life (....okay, maybe I am...?) but honestly, if there's a law to keep dog owners from allowing their furry pets from pooping on other people's lawns, shouldn't we show the same equality to our feline friends?
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