I don't have a mouse or rat problem but I do have a vole problem which some years are so bad it makes you want to give up on growing anything outdoors. I know it sounds odd but I now live in a city that outlaws free range cats (as do most of the neighboring cities) so all my cat experience is from when I lived somewhere else. My experience has been that some cats are good hunters and some are not. I've had cats that were only interested in hunting birds and left everything on the ground alone and I've cats that only wanted to kill lizards and snakes and ignored birds and I've had cats that were great hunters but only for a portion of their long lives, when they get old they tend to sleep most of the day (my current housecat is 21 years old and shows no sign of dying anytime soon). Two things that I do that help with voles is I encourage snakes to live in my yard by keeping brush piles and rock piles near the fruit trees and bushes and around the edge of the garden. That only helps in the summer when snakes are active. I also build bucket traps by sinking a 5 gallon bucket down into the ground so that the top rim is level with the ground. I put an inch or so of soil in the bottom and bait it with fruit bits and peanut butter crackers or fig newtons. I put an old board or a large flat rock over the top so that it is completely covered. Voles and all sorts of small mammals fall into the trap and can't climb out. Snakes can climb in and eat the voles and then climb out. Least shrews also fall in and will eat anything that falls in also including voles which are bigger than the shrew. The only problem is the shrews die in a few hours if they don't have food so you either have to check the traps often or leave a lot of bait in them or accept that your trap is also going to kill a primary killer of voles.

Several people mentioned it, but let me re-iterate: for those interested in this topic, please read the humanure handbook! Human manure is super N. To compost it without smell requires addition of a lot of C, and it must be covered by the C. As for why not just let it go to the sewage treatment plant, that is also addressed in the humanure handbook. First, why pollute x gallons of potable water? Second, there are too many other things mixed in with the water by the time it gets to the sewage plant, including stormwater runoff. It is a toxic soup. Not a good starting substance for compost. I have a conventional septic system. I don't compost human manure. My friends already think I am crazy for living where I do and having farm animals. If I started composting human manure, I am afraid they wouldn't ever come visit. But I am pretty sure that if one were to compost one's manure, there would be no question of whether it would be thermophilic or not. If you add human manure, it WILL cook off. It is definitely possible to spread human pathogens by applying manure directly to soil, so don't do it in your vegetable garden.

I'm not a doctor, veterinarian, pregnant, immune compromised, too young, too old or any of those things I've been reading. I AM infectious disease (pseudomonas) compromised, currently have dogs, have had dogs and cats most my life. Oh, and I'm a g'Imp trying to grow edibles under heavy canopy. I don't particularly want to find dog poop or cat poop in my veggie gardens. Nor do I want to find squirrels, possums, and armadillo's digging up my veggie garden. What to do? Use a bit of common sense, knowledge and compromise. First off, if your veggie gardens are in your back yard, then it can be quite simple. Fence your yard, or fence your garden. Then you are dealing with only your own self and critters. If you are out in the boonies, well then you might need to fence your gardens anyway. If you are in an urban or suburban environment, most all have dog leash laws and pick up the poop laws. You should not be finding free roaming dogs in your 'hood. If you are, and they are strange dogs call animal control. If you know the dogs owners, talk to them or call code enforcement. Dogs and cats have habitual potty practices. They potty about the same time and place each day. If you have a dog or cat potty'ing in your yard, gather up the feces and take them to where you think they should be using the potty. Dogs will generally look for an open area to do their doo. Edible gardens are generally not very open. Cats like loose sandy type soil. Edible gardens are usually heavily mulched with stuff cats don't particularly like to squat in. Planting edible garden borders to deter cats, dogs, squirrels, possums, armadillos and what have you do help. These are generally things that have an odoriferous, hot and/or spicy nature to them. Small garden fence/borders can be ornamental and practical. My primary gardens are all in my front yard. Out by the street in my front yard. I have never had dog or cat poop IN my garden. Near it, yes. I have removed it. Simple, and done. I also have a raised garden area in my back yard. It is in a tucked away garden with a simple PVC pipe fence to keep our dogs out. I also grow some stuff in the dogs area of the back yard. These are all in tall pots, straw bales, or fenced off. It's compromise in this case. I'm encroaching on their playground, I'll accommodate them. No matter where you are getting your fresh vegetables from you should be washing them. If you don't know their history or are concerned about poo - well then wash more thoroughly. Mexico papaya and e-coli? If you are any of those things listed, such as old, young, feeble, febrile - then eat all your food cooked if you are worried about it. I am not any of those things that have been tossed about in this thread - but I am high risk for a soil born infectious disease. My primary doctor, my trauma surgeon and my infectious disease doctor all applaud my choice to grow my own food. Just be smart and...

I have lazy neighbors who have been allowing their two dogs to run freely and poop in my yard. It used to be an empty lot so I kind of get it but sorry, someone lives here now. After 3 years of going out to yell at the dogs or to actually chase them off (when I see them) and shovelling poop back to their yard the damn dogs still come over. I thought when dogs smell the poop they learn thats's where to poop? I must have sent 40 to 50 piles back to their side. The best part was just the other day either someone also returned them a present, in their driveway, or ome of their dogs actually pooped in the middle of their driveway. Karma is a b!tch. Anyway, dog deterrents DO NOT WORK so do not suggest them. Pellets were a waste of $$, ultrasonic repeller did nothing. I'm not wasting any more effort or $$ on solutions that don't work. And I'm not calling animal control. Range wars only make living in your neighborhood stressful. I want to come home to a castle, not to a war. We get along otherwise so why make things stressful? I'm not talking to them, either. They are already aware of the problem and really, I shouldn't have to ask you to clean up after your dog. Why are we all so entiltled to our rights over everyone elses's anymore? There is absolutely no respect left in this world which I think is really the crux of the matter. You can't ask anyone to do anything that they think infringes their rights. Uh sorry, but we didn't fight two world wars and countless others so it would be acceptable for you to be lazy and let your dogs poop all over. I'm done playing the game. I'm fencing the entire side yard on that side now, probably close to 200 feet. Enough is enough. No one else on the street of large yards has a fence out front so that part of it will stand out. But it's the only thing that will work. I know it's not an option for everyone but it is for me and I have no issues with the look of a beautiful 3 rail white vinyl fence with wire mesh running down the side. And landscaping the inside of the fence line will be fun! I will do the right thing and let them know I am doing it(no setback here so it's only fair to warn them). And when they ask why......problem solved. I'm sure the dogs will start going on the other side now; it will be interesting to see how that neighbor, who has 3 small children, swallows that pill.