To not eat the salad leaves..

[Borderstotheleftofme]

Because I think my cat may have messed around them?

All in large pots, ironically to protect from cat fouling 😡

Have noticed a lot of bluebottle type flies recently around my pots and windowsills (where the pots are) and couldn’t find any evidence of anything dead or decaying.

Just caught my cat jumping into a pot then running off and toileting in the borders when told off so presumably intending to pee and poo in the pot.

Suddenly I think I know what’s attracting the flies!

These pots were being used to grow salad crops, maybe in being precious but I don’t really feel like eating any now..

Would you eat them?

Cat poo/pee absolutely honks, can carry toxoplasmosis and other nasties, can’t be composted etc, the thought of eating leaves that may have come into contact is just making me feel a bit queasy 🤢

I wouldn’t eat them - no way

I wouldn't eat them.

When you say salad leaves, do you mean lettuce?

No of course not!

No way!!

Of course not! But I would have thought the smell would be immediate and obvious if your cat has toiletted there?

When you say salad leaves, do you mean lettuce?
Lettuce, mustard greens, rocket, that sort of thing

But I would have thought the smell would be immediate and obvious if your cat has toiletted there?
No, there’s no smell at all, just a sudden group of flies congregating around and in my pots 🤢

I'd just wash them and eat them

But you could cook them if you're squeamish - most would be OK in a stir-fry, lettuce can be made into soup with peas.

Why wouldn't you just wash them?

No way would I eat them, and I'll eat damn near anything :)

Maybe the cat was trying to help by providing fresh manure?

You can't miss cat pee. It's the worst smell. You would also see the poops.

Why wouldn't you just wash them?
I wouldn’t think plain water would remove possible urine and fecal residue.

You would also see the poops
Not if it’s buried.
As a gardener with not only my own cat but living in street full of them, many a time I have discovered a secret poo while digging soil...

Don't eat them.

Salad leaves are mostly water- which will have come from the soil which has poo in. Washing them won't help.