Cat with F.I.P - problem for vegetables?

Question

I gave a friend some garlic to plant, but she has been hesitating because the neighbor's cat was leaving deposits in her garden on a regular basis. Now, she just found out that they had to put the cat down due to F.I.P. (feline infective peritonitis) Would this contaminate the beds and cause any problem with planting garlic now, and basil next year, obviously for human consumption?

Bob

Steve · Accepted Answer

FIP has not been documented in any species other than those of the cat family. FIP is not known to constitute any health risk for human beings. However, FIP virus is similar to a common virus of dogs - canine coronavirus, that produces enteritis in dogs.

I'm not that smart, I got that from this page:

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is fairly safe for this situation since it has a papery covering that gets discarded after it dries. Growing corn or pumpkins might be even safer, but I think by harvest time next summer, there is little to worry about. If another cat shows up, next year have her buy a section of cheap wire fence and lay it down on the soil. The cat can't dig through the fence but the garlic can grow up through it just fine. I do that where I will be planting carrots, lifting it after they get some size. Then the section of fence goes over to the cucumbers where I have already placed 2 fence posts. I tie the fence to the metal posts and up go the cucumber vines.

Steve

Bob wrote:

Darryl Okahata · Answer

While FIP supposedly can't be caught by humans, there are enoughother nasties in meat-eating animal deposits that your friend should not plant *ANY* food crops there.

Cat with F.I.P - problem for vegetables?

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