Is using fertilizer in my cat grass bed safe for pets?

Question

I have a lifted cat grass bed that I grow on my porch. The neighborhood cats are frequently in it, which I encourage and don't mind but it was not my intention in growing it. I feed it to my cockatiel and parakeet, as it is safe for them to eat the grass AND its seeds. Part of it is growing at a weaker manner and, to put it simply, it looks funky.

It was suggested to me to fertilize it. I have been using my own organic compost for everything in garden, and I always rinse what I cut off for my birds before giving it - just to be safe.

I am curious if using fertilizer in it will make any part of it "poisonous" or unsafe for my birds or for the neighborhood cats that chew on it? Is rinsing it enough if I do use it?

Answer 1

Yes, using fertilizer is fairly safe as long as it is evenly distributed where you use it.

Nitrogen/nitrate fertilizer does have a salty taste, but in normal use it is not dangerous as it is thinly distributed on the soil.

Nitrogen/nitrate fertilizer is banned from non-commercial use in many countries as it has been used in bomb making.

The only danger to pets is if you don't store the bag or container safely.

And last, the amount of fertilizer it takes to be dangerous for animals is fairly high, around several grams.