# Weed killer and cats......



## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Hi cat folks, 
I've got a question about the safety of cats if I put down weed killer... At the back of my house there is a strip of land (my access route) and the weeds are unmanagable, I am considering using some Pathclear to help me keep on top of it, however, I know that a couple of my neighbours have cats and whilst I can prevent dogs from wandering across, I can't stop the cats. 

The last thing I want to do is harm them, so I was wondering if you know of anything I could put down to deter them from walking on that area (for eg dogs dislike citronella and Vicks). Or should I just scrap the whole idea and stay natural?

Thanks in advance x


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## Malaguti (Apr 11, 2009)

Hi alphadog,

I know what you mean - it's a nightmare trying to fight weeds and keep pets safe at the same time.

Roundup can be used in conjunction with pets but they have to be kept away from the treated area until it's dry again so this may not be the best option for you.

You could try vinegar but I understand that you might need to repeat this a few times throughout the year.

Found a homemade weedkiller recipe on another website:

*After doing some research on the internet and some trials I have come up with a environmentally and pet friendly weed killer! It is very simple. It is 4 parts vinegar (as strong as you can get but it works with normal malt vinegar), 1 part lemon juice, a table spoon of salt and dash of washing up liquid (Ecover or similar of course!). It works really well on smaller weeds (like on a patio/gravel) but not so good on larger ones, although it make some progress after a number of applications - but the upside of that is that it doesn't kill plants! Let me know your experience! I used it in the summer so not sure if the sun helped as well.*

There's also the product below but I can't find any info that confims whether it's safe for pets or not:

http://www.gardens-alive.com//index.html

Or, you could maybe try a weed burner (like a larger bunsen burner) - I understand some DIY and Garden Centres sell these quiete cheaply but I have no personal experience of using this.

Hope that helps a bit


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## alphadog (Jan 29, 2009)

Cheers malaguti, I will certainly try the recipe you quoted. I'm a bit of a greenie and the idea of using weed killer does not sit well with me, add the risk of harming the local cats into the mix and I'm prepared to try anything! 

Thanks for the tips :thumbup:


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## EatNoMeat (Apr 9, 2009)

Malaguti said:


> Hi alphadog,
> 
> I know what you mean - it's a nightmare trying to fight weeds and keep pets safe at the same time.
> 
> ...


What a good idea! Too bad I found this after 5 hours of back-breaking weed pulling in direct sunlight. Ugh.
Yeah, I won't put weed killer anywhere and I have poison ivy growing everywhere. I also have groundhogs, deer, feral cats, neighbors dog, squirrels, chipmunks... everybody lives around my house (it's near the woods).


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