cat pee & poop

Cats here act like a sunny corner planted in phlox is their litter box. Phlox turning yellow. I'd like to be scientific about this. Is animal excrement acidic? Then I could counteract it with lime, right? Or is it basic? Anyhoo, anybody know what to mix into the soil?

Sorry, not sure. I thought it was the ammonia that did the damage, but I am not a very scientific person! Maybe the pee could be diluted if you watered & watered & watered. Julie

Julie was right, it is the ammonia and urea content that is harming your greenery!

There are several remedies... limestone and gypsum. The limestone will counteract the acidity and the gypsum will improve soil structure to help wash out the urine.

Or theres this home remedy (I havent tried it personally)
mix a can tomato juice with 1 can beer. Add 1/2 cup sugar. mix well. This goes into 1 gallon water. Mix well. Add 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup of black coffee. Pour into a sprayer and spray the area for three or four days in a row.
Then feed area with a good organic fertilizer like fish emuslion

warmest wishes....

Okay, if my chemistry hasn't totally forsaken me, ammonia is basic (alkaline). To lower the pH use sulphur or aluminum sulfate (I found some at Lowe's yesterday, less than $5 for a 5-pound bag.) One pound will lower 100 sf of soil .2 points, so it takes 5 pounds to lower it one full point. You can dissolve the aluminum sulfate in water and use as a foliar spray if need be (the bag says to do that with hydrangeas.....)

Try putting a few large dried and prickly rose canes in the bed to discourage the cats from using it as a litterbox in the future. Then water, water, water to try to dilute the existing waste. And/or rake as much of it up as you can and dispose of it. Good luck!

Urine? Yup, that's right up my alley being a laboratory worker for the last 20 something years. LOL Most human, cat, and dog urine is acidic and that's why it burns grass, plants, etc. The only time urine is not acidic is when it has been diluted by drinking _lots_ of water and then it is alkaline. Cat urine has a pH of about 6.5 which is acidic. As you all know, 7.0 is neutral and anything above that is alkaline. Anything below 7.0 is acidic. As for how to persuade your cats to find a new litter area? I like go_vols's idea about the rose canes. Good luck!

Terri

Terri, thanks for the clarification - as you can see, I can easily get completely confused on alkaline vs. acidic, and I thought someone here told me that urine (ammonia) was basic.....no? Boy I wish I had paid more attention in my science classes in high school and college!

Yup, Best way of finding cat poop in the garden is with a soil pH meter, pH of about 4.5 very acidic.

Byron

go_vols, you were right. When urine of any kind sits at room temperature for a while, the once acidic urine is altered to one that has an alkaline pH. You _do_ know your stuff, girlfriend! LOL

Terri

All I know is, cat urine *stinks to high heaven* when your cat(s) have sabotaged your mattress. See my post in the wildlife forum if you want the gory details. LOL! Kimberley

I have a Montrose Vitex I planted in the fr yard after we lost our tree three summers ago.
Two yrs in a row I have planted white Mexican Heather under it, thinking the small white flowers would look nice in between the repeat-blooming of the huge purple blooms.
Two yrs now the Heather has died. A friend was leaving one nite when I saw some strange dogs 'watering' my Mexican Heather. I have given up on the Heather.
Last nite I was out cking my trimming job on the front bushes when I noticed my Vitex. It has lost more than half of it's leaves & is only blooming half what it should be.
It must be the dogs.
Will the above recipe work for dog watering?

Smockette, in your case I wonder if some of that commercial "Dog-away" or the like would be what you want. Once those dogs mark a spot then every dog around will want to re-mark it with his scent, and then it continues.

Great thread! I love to learn about this scientific stuff ☺ Hope new kitty doesn't pick up bad habits, though.

The cocoa shell mulch - which we don't use in "the back" where our dog visitors stay while here is highly effective in deterring cats - they hate it! They won't eat it or come near it. Wonderful mulch, smell and keeps all slugs away too!