# Poop in compost. Why the danger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319 "2012-06-16T05:00:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/1 "2012-06-16T05:00:06Z")
I have been making some compost and it contains some sheep, cat and dog poop. I understand that these substances can contain pathogens, but how can this contaminate my tomatoes? The plant grows above ground. Can the pathogens travel up the plant and into the food? What is the vector? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/2 "2012-06-16T05:12:18Z")
There’s some info [here.](http://gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/compost/petpoop.htm) > [@](#): > > Dog and cat droppings often contain roundworms and other parasitic nematodes. Gardeners can ingest roundworm eggs from soil contaminated with dog or cat feces. Contaminated soil often is carried to the mouth by dirty hands, especially among young children, or the edible parts of fruits and vegetables. Infection by just a few roundworms usually causes no problems, but more severe infections may cause fevers, bronchitis, asthma, or vision problems. > > Another concern with cat feces is toxoplasmosis, a parasite that infects humans and other animals. Of all creatures, only cats are known to excrete oocysts–a form of the parasite that can survive in the environment for years and is resistant to most disinfectants. Most sources suggest that herbivore poop is okay to use, though. We toss our guinea pigs’ droppings into the compost with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/3 "2012-06-16T05:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Another concern with cat feces is toxoplasmosis, a parasite that infects humans and other animals. Of all creatures, only cats are known to excrete oocysts–a form of the parasite that can survive in the environment for years and is resistant to most disinfectants. So why doesn’t every cat owner that changes the litterbox come down with this? Dog and cat poop are everywhere! ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/4 "2012-06-16T05:32:14Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > So why doesn’t every cat owner that changes the litterbox come down with this? Dog and cat poop are everywhere! They probably do. Toxoplasmosis symptoms resemble mild flu symptoms in people with normal immune systems. But it can be pretty dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, and can cause birth defects in fetuses. This is why pregnant women are advised to avoid changing the cat litter for the duration of the pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/5 "2012-06-16T05:35:53Z")
Is that the same sickness that that the woo crowd thinks makes us into slaves of our feline masters? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/6 "2012-06-16T06:15:39Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Is that the same sickness that that the woo crowd thinks makes us into slaves of our feline masters? Drives certain sufferers to become circus performers, where they stick their heads’ into the lions mouth. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/7 "2012-06-16T06:34:48Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Is that the same sickness that that the woo crowd thinks makes us into slaves of our feline masters? Toxoplasmosis certainly influences rat behaviour, making some rats actively seek out cat urine (uninfected rats avoid cat urine). Given that toxoplasmosis infection rates are high (possibly up to 50% of the worlds population) and the disease is generally only a health issue in the immuno-compromised, and has effects related to dopamine and testosterone, it seems likely that there may be some impact on human behavior. [QUOTE=wikipedia] Research at Charles University in Prague concerning the influence of toxoplasmosis infection on personality, sex ratios, and the risks of road accidents, has received substantial media attention, with the work on road accidents being particularly prominent. Jaroslav Flegr has claimed that the infection might increase the number of accidents by as much as one million crashes per year. [/QUOTE] Wiki has decent research-based cites, too. It is not all woo. Si ---
**Author:** ![udlander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/43a26b/32.png) [@udlander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/udlander)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/8 "2012-06-16T08:25:54Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > So why doesn’t every cat owner that changes the litterbox come down with this? Dog and cat poop are everywhere! The toxoplasma oocysts (which are passed in the cat’s faeces) take around 2 or 3 days to sporulate and thus become infectious. As long as you change the litter on a daily basis (and presumably disinfect the litter tray itself), there is no infection risk. Not many people, I warrant, will be leaving cat faeces festering for 3 days indoors. At least, I hope so. I was told by one of the big researchers in feline toxo that he had had plenty of pregnant women working in his lab over the years, and no infection problems - normal hygiene precautions (and not eating faeces) were sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/9 "2012-06-16T15:17:37Z")
> [@udlander](#): > > Not many people, I warrant, will be leaving cat faeces festering for 3 days indoors. At least, I hope so. Man, you really have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/10 "2012-06-16T20:20:13Z")
If I think I might be suffering from toxoplasmosis, how would I bring this up with my doctor? I do have a tendency toward hypochondria but I’ve had to deal with litter pans for years and my health is poor. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-in-compost-why-the-danger/625319/11 "2012-06-17T13:53:10Z")
Ask for a test. However, it appears that [toxoplasmosis](http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/toxoplasmosis-test)is a one time infection, and once you’ve been infected, your body will produce antibodies to fight it off in the future. It doesn’t look like a chronic condition.