Hi Rarrgh
Animal droppings can carry disease, parasitic worms etc. i believe the composting process doesn't deal with these efficiently enough to be safe to use, particularly on vege's.
doctor's will recomend worming yourself regularly if you have pets that you pat so therefore i wouldn't consider pet droppings, in the garden.
Hope this has helped
Ree

Doctors would do better to recommend that we worm our pets. Worming ourselves won't deal with problems like visceral larva migrans in children from ingesting eggs from cat faeces. This parasite can lead to blindness.
Take all your pet information from your local Vet. Medical students do NOT study animal parisitology. Vet students do study the effect of animal parisites on humans, so will have much more to offer than your doctor.

How come you can compost cow/horse manure but not cat/dog poo?

I compost kitty litter but remove the poo and dispose of this separately. I would like to be able to chuck the whole lot in the compost bin.

I understand the disease idea... but aren't pet owners exposed to these diseases/parasites anyway just by having pets in their home, picking them up, etc etc ?

And don't cows/horses have diseases/parasites as well?

I'm confused as to why some poo is great for composting while other poo is evil !!!

:)
Thanks

I think its because cows and horses eat grass whereas cats and dogs are carnivorous, probably there are a whole lot more nasties in meat than grass.

hi katiezub,

the answers to your questions are exactly what I wanna know...

So kitty litter with urine is fine for the compost, everyone agree on this?

I'm not particularly worried about cat/dog problems like worms in humans/pets, as all my animals are very clean and well looked after (partner is a vet nurse), but I am concerned if dog/cat crap negatively affects my garden in someway...

I agree with you Sparaxis, you should worm your pet's regularly as well as yourself.

Although on your advice I will ask my vet next time I see him, ( I can just see myself on the table having a checkup! LOL)

Youngquinn i think you're right.

i have posted my same question on the gardenweb US site and the answers seem to come back that it's cos they're carnivores. No-one really has a definite answer though.

And i'm not quite sure how we're not exposed to these parasite anyway just by sharing our homes with pets.

And my cat is kept dewormed and all that stuff... I mean my cat poos in the garden anyway sometimes so it can't be avoided. I don't see how it can be a bad thing.

I think maybe some people just find it distasteful to compost pet poo ??

Rarrgh - i have been told (from several sources) that composting kitty litter (minus the poo) is absolutely fine. So long as the actual kitty litter is compostable.

And i don't think cat/dog poo is bad for your garden in any way - everyone just seems concerned about health issues.

There are more health issues with ingesting worm eggs from dogs and cats, than from cattle and sheep. Sheep fluke are very rarely infectious to humans. There are a few pig diseases that can affect humans too. Pidgeons and Cockies of course can pass on psitticosis. i guess we tend to get more up close and personal with our dogs and cats too, which puts us more at risk. Most of you probably only ever handle cow and sheep manure after it has been sitting in the paddock (or plastic bag) for some time.
Generally it is not a good idea to handle fresh faeces of any sort, if it can be avoided, and if you must, then wash thoroughly afterwards.
Yes you can pick up round worm eggs from handling dogs and cats, if they are heavily infested, but generally they are passed in the faeces. Tapeworms can be got from ingesting fleas. This is not unheard of - if your dog or cat has even a few fleas, and you are close up and cuddly, then a flea can easily jump into your mouth or up your nose. Children need to be well educated, but prevention is far better than cure, and it is so easy to keep your pets parasite free if they are properly contained in their own yard, and treated regularly. Then you don't have to worry so much about their pooh.
BTW - there is one parasite that can be contracted from cat faeces, that can cause birth defects in babies. That is toxoplasma gondii. Deworming your cat will not rid it of this, and if it is in the active stages of disease, which is often completely asymptomatic, you can contract it cleaning a litter tray. You may not know if you have had the disease, it generally presents as a mild viral infection. If you get it and are not pregnant it is unlikely to cause problems, and you will have lasting immunity. Many, many cat owners have antigens to this disease, it is very common.
Yes katiezub - I think you are right about people worrying mainly about health issues, but you would do well to familiarise yourself with some of these issues.

Here is a link that might be useful: toxoplasmosis

I think I will leave cat poo out of the compost for the time being.

My compost is only a small bin, and i'm quite new to it, so i wouldn't be confident that my pile gets hot enough for long enough to kill any nasties.

Thanks everyone for your input :)

All,

It turns out that toxoplasmosis does not just affect pregnant women. This article (see intro paragraphs below) might be of interest:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8122-826557_1,00.html

THEY may look like lovable pets but BritainÂs estimated 9m domestic cats are being blamed by scientists for infecting up to half the population with a parasite that can alter peopleÂs personalities.

The startling figures emerge from studies into toxoplasma gondii, a parasite carried by almost all the countryÂs feline population. They show that half of BritainÂs human population carry the parasite in their brains, and that infected people may undergo slow but crucial changes in their behaviour.

Infected men, suggests one new study, tend to become more aggressive, scruffy, antisocial and are less attractive. Women, on the other hand, appear to exhibit the "sex kitten" effect, becoming less trustworthy, more desirable, fun- loving and possibly more promiscuous.