Re: dirty cats in the vegetable garden

To begin, anyone who is pregnant should avoid the garden altogether. The reason for this is that cats are a host for a very nasty protozoan named Toxoplasma gondii. This organism can cause very serious birth defects as well as stillbirths (those who are pregnant should also NEVER tend to the litterbox as well). As far as everyone else is concerned, I cannot recommend consuming vegetables grown in a garden when one is certain that animal feces are present; especially in the amount you seem to indicate. There is the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms being present and, in the case of salad vegetables in particular, washing may not be enough to ensure safety. Perhaps next year fence in the garden, use a repellent, or just grow flowers.