Never Flush Cat Litter: How Your Cat's Waste Kills Dolphins

Next time you're cleaning out your cat's litter box, you may want to think twice about what you do with the waste. The simple act of flushing your cat's feces down the toilet may spell death for hundreds or even thousands of whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

We often view pollutants of all kinds with an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude, but in reality, there is no true "away." Everything has to go somewhere, and the tragic reality is that our planet's oceans have become little more than sewers and landfills as a result of our apathy. No matter how landlocked your home is, your sewage will ultimately end up being shed into the ocean by rivers and pipes.

In developed nations, sewage is generally treated to remove common human parasites before it makes its way into oceans. Unfortunately, however, one especially pesky parasite carried in cat feces can survive conventional sewage treatment. Once it reaches the oceans, it eagerly infects anchovies, which spread the infection to sea mammals in epidemic proportions.

In cats, this hardy parasite, called toxoplasma gondii, is extremely common in cats, who generally contract it from infected mice, insects, or birds. It is so contagious and widespread that Michael Grigg of the US National Institutes of Health has called it "the most successful protozoan on the planet".

If your cat is carrying toxoplasma, you probably have no idea. The parasite is usually quite harmless in cats and humans, unless the individual is pregnant or immunocompromised. In fact, although a majority of outdoor-indoor cats contract toxoplasma at least once during their lifetime, very few of them show any symptoms whatsoever. There is no way to be certain of whether or not your cat's feces is contaminated with the parasite.

When your cat's litter-waste is flushed down the toilet, it quickly makes its way into sewage treatment systems, which remove particulate matter and most pathogens in the water, but does not kill toxoplasma. By the time the treated sewage makes it to the ocean, the toxoplasma is still alive and well.

Anchovies are generally the first to become infected with this cat-poop parasite. Toxoplasma eggs are believed to be eaten by these tiny fish, and the infection accumulates in the anchovy's gut. Because anchovies are a main source of food for most sea mammals, it then moves on to contaminate whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Unlike in cats and humans, toxoplasmosis spells disaster for cetaceans and other sea mammals. It causes severe fever, meningitis, and swelling of the brain. The epidemic is severe enough that the US National Institutes of Health have stated that every marine mammal species they have examined is now showing signs of infection from the parasite.

So what's a cat owner to do? Ideally, look into composting your cat's litter. If this is not a viable option for your situation, dispose of the waste in your trash can, but do not flush it under any circumstances.

Being conscientious of your cat's waste is one small way that you can do your part to save our hurting planet. Click here to learn about other ways that you can raise a green cat.

Source:

Brahic, Catherine. The World's Most Successful Bug Hits Dolphins. New Scientist, June 2 2008.