# Safe weed killer for cats?



## fluffykittie (Jul 26, 2014)

My garden is infested with weeds. It's almost as much dandelion as an actual lawn. 

I called a gardener who says he usually does "weed n feed".

Are there safe products you've used with cats? Thanks..


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Quite a few weedkillers are claimed by the manufacturers to be safe _*once they are dry*_ for use around cats. The problem is, if a weedkiller is put on the garden and then next day it rains, you would need to keep your cats off the lawn until it was dry.

Many gardeners find it is more effective to use separate lawn feed and weed killer, rather than Weed & Feed..

Both these products are intended to be safe for cats to walk on once the spray is dry. :-

https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/topic/fertiliser-advice/lawn-weed-and-feed

https://www.lawnsmith.co.uk/cat/lawn-weed-killer

But I prefer not to use any chemicals on my lawn because even the smallest risk to my cats is too much. I am a keen organic gardener with 5 cats, and I want to encourage diversity of wild life in my garden. Dandelions are wonderful for bees and other insects, and I am happy to have them in my lawn, along with lots of daisies and plenty of clover.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...may/12/dandelions-pollinators-wildlife-garden


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

I have the same issue. I use a spray lawn weed killer that is safe once dry and absorbed. I do a small patch of lawn each time and make a wire cage out of some old mini greenhouse shelves tied together with cable ties so the cats and other wildlife can't access the patch. After a few days the product is all absorbed and I move my cage to the next area to be treated. It will be a summer long process but I only have a small lawn so it's not much of an issue.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

I pull out dandelions - I once got 10" of tap root, most satisfying! I do use weedkiller on paving slabs and similar, not on grass.


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## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

I don't have grass in my garden but areas of grass with weeds growing in it can look greener at difficult times of the year when grass tends to go brown. If you keep it mown, it doesn't really matter what plants are providing your patch of green (unless you play bowls on it.)


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I'm with @QOTN keep grass cut short (weekly) remove any dandelion heads before the seeds develop , job done.
As for weeds else where there is no real "safe" weedkiller other than hard work


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## Willow_Warren (Feb 12, 2018)

It is my patio I need to weedkill! I'm waiting for a dry non windy day so it dries quickly... My patio currently looks horrendous! Or I could buy one of those weedkiller burner things - although there is a risk I might burn the house down!

I do not put stuff on the lawn because I have chicken and rabbits on it - the risk to them is greater as they actually eat the lawn... (plus the bunnies love dandelions), I have contemplated a scarifier to get rid of the moss - I've used a manual rake before but it too much hard work (or I'm lazy!)

Hannah


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## Bertie'sMum (Mar 27, 2017)

Have a look at these for natural organic ways to kill weeds - I've tried the vinegar one and that does work, but be careful where you spray because it kills everything it touches !

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/advice/g777/homemade-weed-killers/
http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/vinegar-weed-killer.html


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## 5r6ubertbe6y (Dec 5, 2017)

I don't use weedkiller, I just pull the weeds up. I don't have a lawn, it's a slabbed yard


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## 5r6ubertbe6y (Dec 5, 2017)

chillminx said:


> Quite a few weedkillers are claimed by the manufacturers to be safe _*once they are dry*_ for use around cats. The problem is, if a weedkiller is put on the garden and then next day it rains, you would need to keep your cats off the lawn until it was dry.
> 
> Many gardeners find it is more effective to use separate lawn feed and weed killer, rather than Weed & Feed..
> 
> ...


I love daisies. Its a shame one can't mow the lawn without cutting the daisies


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

I use Roundup and it’s been great the last few years. I spray it after dark when I know all the cats are safe indoors. 

Surely if it rains the next day, it just gets diluted and washed away? I think i read it gets absorbed fully after about 9 hours. It’s raining now but I can see the weeds I did last night already have drooping leaves so hopefully absorbed already.


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## 5r6ubertbe6y (Dec 5, 2017)

Im


Treaclesmum said:


> I use Roundup and it's been great the last few years. I spray it after dark when I know all the cats are safe indoors.
> 
> Surely if it rains the next day, it just gets diluted and washed away? I think i read it gets absorbed fully after about 9 hours. It's raining now but I can see the weeds I did last night already have drooping leaves so hopefully absorbed already.


Some weedkillers are actually activated by water.


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

MissMiloKitty said:


> Im
> 
> Some weedkillers are actually activated by water.


Not Roundup. I just checked again and it says it's fully absorbed after just 6 hours. It had a good 18 hours on the weeds before the rain started, and the cats were indoors for at least 12 hours. It's absorbed straight into the leaves and travels down to the roots to destroy the weed.


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