old kitty litter boxes for starter plants? ewww

[mommacanary]

My neighbor and I were talking about starter plants for our gardens. She said she put some of her starter plants in kitty litter boxes. She had a cat that disapeared last year. The boxes she is using were used by her cat. They have been setting outside by her garage for a year.

She is 6 mos pregnant. After she told me that I kept thinking about toxoplasmosis. Now they have been setting outside for a year so I'm thinking that if it was present it would be dead now? But the idea of planting plants that you are gonna eat veggies from in a old litter box just icks me out. Maybe it's just me? I do get grossed out pretty easy.

Was just curious about what other people thought. So is this something you would have no problem with? Or is it :gross ? could it be dangerous for her?

[queendom lady]

Personally, I certainly wouldn't take the chance. I get freaked out using the bathroom at my bro.s place that has a litter box in the corner. It's just not something I'd mess around with. Has she heard of taxoplasmosis? Maybe you should inform her, it's better to be safe than sorry, right?!

[cristeen]

If they were cleaned with bleach or a steam cleaner first, I wouldn't have a problem with it, even pregnant. If they weren't, I would.

[chinaKat]

Well, presumably she didn't plant the plants IN the kitty litter, right?

If the boxes were cleaned with something like bleach that would kill all the germs, I'd have no worries whatsoever.

I'd rather she recycle the boxes than throw them out.

[lyttlewon]

Ew no even with bleach I wouldn't eat from them! Bleach doesn't kill lots of stuff. That is to gross for me. Now if she was starting flowers or something. I am with you.

[GinaRae]

Toxoplasmosis is easier to catch from soil in your garden or unwashed produce than an indoor cat who uses a box. They only get toxo. if they eat mice in your house.

So while it sounds grody, it's not a big deal. The toxo is dead by then and if there were any poo in there, well that's what they use to fertilize our veggies anyway, eh??

I am a kitty foster mom and started looking into toxoplasmosis because hubby is worried. But not so worried he will empty the boxes, LOL.

[aylaanne]

I still change my cat box. Sometimes, when I feel that DH hasn't done a good job of it. My cat is strictly an indoor cat and she only eats dry food. I'm not sure she could kill a mouse if she wanted to. And she certainly wouldn't eat it.

I would grow plants in a old litter box after cleaning it. I would wash it out with soap, hot hot water, and bleach, and make sure it's dry and unstained first. And yes, I would eat the vegetables, after washing them like I wash EVERYTHING ELSE. You're more likely to get toxoplasmosis from the potatoes your neighbor grows in her outdoor garden (where it's more likely that outdoor cats are going to poop regularly and without notice) than plants started in a clean litter box.