Let me set the scene for you.

I have a spare bedroom which is the litter box room. I have four litter boxes in it, spaced out. Three have pine litter, which I scoop into a biodegradable bag, and one has clay litter. When I scoop the boxes, I carry the appropriate bag over to the box, scoop, move on to the next box and then when I’m done, return the bag to the area with the bags and scoopers.

So, last night I’m cleaning the litter boxes. I scoop the clay one, then go to do the pine ones. I scoop the first one, carry the bag across the room, scoop the second one, and box three is unused so I skip it and return the bag to the bag area. So far so good.

The, I turn around and notice there’s a pee clump sitting on the floor.

Okay, I think, I put the bag on the floor when I scoop – I must have dropped the clump on the edge of the bag and it rolled out when I picked it up. So I grab the scooper, grab the bag and go to clean up the pee clump. So far so good.

Then, as I go to put the bag away again, I notice there’s a pile of litter on the floor near litter box number one. Hmm, I think, how did I miss that? But okay, I grab the bag and scoop and clean that one up as well, and back goes the bag.

As I’m putting the bag down, I notice that there’s an awful lot of litter and a couple of pieces of poop in the spot where I store the bag. Hmmmmmm…

I lift up the bag to look at it and dirty litter comes pouring out the gigantic tear in the bottom. I look to the spots I just cleaned up and gee, what a surprise… I’ve left a lovely trail of litter behind me as I’ve moved from place to place to clean up.

Some how, in my exhaustion, I managed to not notice that I was leaving a trail of litter behind me as I moved around this small room. A second bag and some midnight vacuuming later and all was restored to order, but I can tell you, I’ll be making a point of cleaning the boxes before I’m feeling quite that sleep deprived in the future.

Today is Earth Day. To celebrate, here are a few things you can do to be a greener cat owner.

Clean up your litter box

The litter box is a big source of waste. Thankfully, there are some easy steps we can take to reduce the impact our litter boxes have on the environment.

Choose a biodegradable, recycled litter

Clay may feel great on the paws, and it’s certainly the most common litter substance on the market, but unfortunately, it’s terrible for the environment. Clay is strip mined and then sits in land fills when it is thrown out.

Fortunately, there are many great alternatives out there, that are much more environmentally friendly such as:

• Paper litters, like Yesterday’s News, made from recycled paper.
• Wood litter, like Feline Pine or Feline Fresh, made from wood reclaimed from the lumber industry.
• Grain-based litters, like World’s Best Cat Litter or Swheat Scoop, made from non-food grade grains or corn cobs.

As a bonus, all these litters are biodegradable and can be composted.

Use a biodegradable bag or box liner

Don’t add to the plastic going into landfills – use biodegradable liners and scoop your litter box into a biodegradable bag. Biodegradable bags, such as the ones made by BioBag, are made from corn, contain no polyethylene and decompose at about the same rate as other organic material.

Compost your litter

If you choose a biodegradable litter then its easy to start composting your litter. Remove the feces and then dump the rest of the box into your compost pile (bonus – the nitrogen in urine is great for your compost pile.)

You can compost the feces too, just be cautious. Because certain zoonotic diseases, like Toxoplasma gondii, can be passed through contaminated feces, you should use a composting toilet or other composter, like a NatureMill, that heats the compost to high temperatures. Don’t put poop into your regular back yard composter – it will never reach temperatures high enough to ensure that parasites are killed. If you have an indoor cat then it’s unlikely they are infected with parasites or disease that will b passed on in their poop, but better to err on the side of caution when it comes to your vegetable garden, right?

Eco-friendly eating

Food animals are a huge strain on the environment, but whether or not we choose to eat meat ourselves, we know that cats require meat to live and be healthy. That doesn’t mean we can’t make more environmentally friendly food decisions for our fuzzy little obligate-carnivores.

Can it

If you feed a commercial cat food, make sure you recycle those cans. Pretty much all municipal recycling programs can recycle tin, aluminum and steel cans, and curb side pick up is available in many areas, making it very convenient to recycle. Most kibble bags should be recyclable,  too.

Reduce packaging by buying larger containers – those tiny, single serve cans of premium cat food might be cute and convenient, but over the course of your cat’s lifetime you’ll save on a lot of packaging if you opt for the larger cans.

Make your carnivore an organic locavore

If you prepare cat food at home, you can reduce the environmental impact of your cat’s meals by feeding locally grown organic meat. While any health benefits from eating organic are questionable, it’s easy to see the environmental benefits of local, organically grown food. Shorter shipping distances reduces the amount of pollution released into the atmosphere through transportation and going organic means that raising those animals didn’t contribute more chemical pollution to our ecosystem (certified organic meat comes from animals that were raised on organically grown feed. Non-organic methods of growing crops contributes to chemical run-off from herbicides & pesticides getting into the water table and impacting native flora & fauna.)

Grass-fed/pastured/free range meat is also good for the environment in many ways. Pastured animals graze on the  plants grown where they are raised, rather than having heavily processed feed shipped in from far away. The ground is covered with green growth for a long portion of the year (or all year, if you live in a place with mild winters), pulling carbon from the atmosphere. Manure benefits the earth by adding nutrients back into the soil where it falls. Grass pasture helps reduce soil erosion…  responsible management of pastured animals has all kinds of environmental benefits.

As an added bonus, pastured meat has health benefits, such as higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and is a more humane way of raising meat animals than factory farming, where animals are penned into over crowded or undersized feedlots or cages, where they are unable to engage in normal animal behaviour.

Other things you can do

• Compost cat hair. After brushing your cat, toss the mat of hair into your compost bin instead of the trash.
• Make toys out of houehold items or recycle materials that you would otherwise throw out into cat toys or bedding.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products to wash litter boxes and cat dishes (and around the rest of your house.) Not only will they benefit the environment but they can also benefit your cat. Cats tend to be very sensitive to chemicals in their environment. Vinegar and baking soda are great natural cleaning products that are cat- and environmentally friendly.
• Donate unwanted cat supplies to your local shelter or Freecycle them, instead of throwing them out.

What are you doing?

What are you doing to reduce the impact your cats have on the environment? Do you have any ideas or suggestions on being a more eco-conscious cat owner? Share them here.

Cat in the grass photo by Sande Hamilton.
Compost kitty photo by Birrell Walsh.
Free range chickens photo by woodleywonderworks.
Cans photo by N-ino.

Not all cat litter is created equal. With a wide range of options on the market, spanning a huge variety of different materials, prices and features, choosing the right cat litter can be a challenge.

There are a host of factors to consider when choosing a cat litter. Between you and your cat you’ll be able to prioritize which qualities are most important and choose an appropriate litter that makes everyone happy.

• Texture
• Weight
• Odour control
• Smell
• Clumping or non-clumping
• Disposable or reusable
• Biodegradable/environmentally friendly
• Tracking
• Healthy
• Cost
• Availability

For the purpose of this article “organic” refers to litters made from plant based materials such as wood or grain, rather than materials that are grown without the use of chemicals.

Texture

Texture – the way litter feels on the paws – is an important factor for cats. Litters come in a variety of textures, from finely ground clay, sand or sawdust to large extruded paper or wood pellets to coarse crystals. Fussy cats tend to prefer a finer texture such as clay, but many cats readily accept crystals or pellets too.

Weight

Weight comes into play for digging. While many litters may have similar textures, mineral-based litters such as crystals, clays and sand tend to be much denser than organic  litters, such as wood, corn, wheat and soy. Many cats prefer the density of mineral-based litters.

Odour Control

Odour control is important to everyone, both us and the sensitive noses of our cats. We should be scooping the litter box daily and cleaning it completely on a regular basis, but a good litter should do a good job of controlling odour between scoopings. Some litter materials, such as heat treated pine have great odour control properties on their own.  Other litters have additives such as zeolites or baking soda to help control odour. Different clay formulations have different levels of odour control.

Smell

Fresh, unused litter has its own smell. Choose a material that has a scent that is acceptable to both you and your cat, steering away from litters with artificial perfumes. Your cat’s nose is much more sensitive than yours and cats are also highly sensitive to chemicals. Organic litters tend to have their own distinct fragrance when fresh and when mixed with waste, some of which are pleasant, others not so much. Inorganic litters often have less of a distinctive smell.

Clumping vs Non-Clumping

Both options have their pros and cons.

Clumping litter is easy and convenient to clean, just scoop the lumps out to freshen up the box. Clumping litter also allows us to more easily observe our cats’ urinary habits. However clumping litter can stick in our cats fur, in drains and to the bottom and sides of the box. Consumption of clumping litter can be potentially harmful.

Non-clumping is less likely to clog things up and stick to your litter boxes. Daily scooping of solid waste and weekly changing of the entire box makes it easy to keep things fresh, though changing the entire box regularly is more important than if you use clumping litter.

Disposable vs Reusable

The majority of litter products on the market are disposable, however there are a few reusable options available that utilize non-absorbent particles that are regularly washed.

Reusable litter has the advantage of not needing to be replaced regularly and results in much less waste going into the landfill, but options for reusable litter are fairly limited and the special litter boxes that contain the washing mechanism tend to be quite expensive (the Cat Genie starts at over $200,  the Smart Cat Box which is less high tech, at $50.)

Biodegradable/environmentally friendly

If environmental issues are a concern for you then the source of the litter and disposal of it both require consideration.

Clay litters are often strip mined, placing a great strain on the environment, though some come from other sources – if it doesn’t say on the bag, call the customer service number (most companies provide one) and ask. You can also find out what kind of reclamation efforts the company takes after the area has been mined out. Clay litters are also not biodegradable – once thrown out it sits in landfills, taking up space.

Organic litters are often made from recycled materials such as paper or wood, while others may be made from new materials. They can also be composted or, if disposed of in the trash, will break down more quickly.

Tracking

Litter can create a huge mess, being kicked out of the box and tracked out on your cat’s paws. In general, coarse and dense litters tend to stay in the box better, where as light, finely textured litters get spread around more. Pelleted or crystalline litters are the least likely to track, while light weight organic litters such as those made from sawdust or grain are most likely to end up far from the box.

Health

Litter can have an impact on the health of your cat and yourself.

Organic litters such as those made from wheat can be allergenic for both animals and humans. Litters made from pine or cedar may release phenols which are harmful to small animals (companies that produce these litters claim that the processing removes any phenols and risk from limited exposure is probably minimal, but it’s up to you to do you research and determine your comfort level.)

Clay litters can produce a lot of dust which gets inhaled and can cause serious problems for asthmatics and potentially result in health complications with long term use even if you and your cat are healthy.

Pica, a condition that results in the consumption of non-nutritive substances, is not uncommon in cats, and even cats that do not regularly eat litter or other non-food objects will often taste a new litter. Small particles of litter will be consumed while grooming, so it’s important to choose a litter that is non-toxic and that won’t harm them in small amounts.

Cost

Price for litter can range from $3 for a huge bag to $15 for a small container. You often get what you pay for, and the smaller containers of premium litters will often stretch further than a comparable amount of cheaper litter, but it’s not always the case. For organic litters, similar alternatives that aren’t marketed for cats are often available much, much cheaper (for example, extruded wood pellets for wood stoves are virtually identical to cat litter but much cheaper.)

Availability

Some litters are readily available at every pet store and Walmart you go into, where as others may need to be special ordered over the internet or bought at a feed store. Choosing a litter that is not easy to obtain or that is frequently unavailable can be a source of stress for you and your cat. Be cautious about getting your cat used to a litter if it looks like your supply might dry up at any time.

However, if you have a very fussy cat and find the perfect litter, going the extra mile to get a regular supply of it just might be worth while.

Making your choice

Your personal values combined with the demands of your cat will determine how you prioritize these factors. Finding the perfect cat litter can be a major challenge, but well worth it. A litter that your cat is content to use and that fits your life style, values and budget will make for a happier relationship with your cat, by reducing behaviour-caused inappropriate elimination and allowing you to feel confident in your choices.

Personally, for a long time I used extruded pine pellets (Feline Pine and other brands). Unfortunately, Cajun is extremely fussy about weight and texture and won’t touch pelleted litter. Violet and Clover don’t mind it, but if there is a box with a softer litter they will opt to use that and ignore the pellets. Getting Cajun using the box consistently was top priority so we switched to Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract, which is a clay litter, and has worked quite well. Because I love the fact that pine is biodegradable, recycled and has amazing odour control, I’ve got a couple of boxes with Feline Fresh Scoopable which seems to meet my needs and the preference of the cats pretty well.

Your turn – what is your favourite cat litter? Were you able to find one that worked for you quickly and easily, or did you go through many different litters before finding one that works? What is important to you in a cat litter?

Photos  by Malingering, Daniesq & Shana Lee.

Cajun is a very fussy cat when it comes to litter.

When she first came to my house I gave her a litter box with pelleted pine litter – the same stuff Violet and Clover were using. The carpet got peed on and her bedding got peed on and the litter box was untouched.

Figuring the texture was not right for her, I got a bag of World’s Best Cat Litter. The finer texture was better but still not right, and there was still peeing outside the box, so I got a bag of cheap clay litter, which was what she’d been using at the Humane Society, with plans to transition her off it. Litter box compliance got better again, but still wasn’t 100%, so she stayed in her own room till she was spayed, in hopes that spaying would help resolve the peeing problem. 

Spaying helped a lot of behavioural issues, and I thought the peeing was okay, but apparently not, and we had several incidents in quick succession, culminating with Cajun peeing on my husband while he was asleep in bed at 2am. Not a good night.

I was getting pretty desperate at this point. I couldn’t have a cat that was peeing on us at night, cleaning up cat pee was getting expensive and exhausting, but I also couldn’t keep her isolated in a room for the rest of her life or send her back to the Humane Society. 

Dr. Elsey’s to the rescue!

Despite my concerns about clumping clay litter (which I’ll get into in another post) and the cost ($12 for a small bag) I decided to give Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract litter a try. It guarantees 100% litter box use or your money back, so I was sceptical but I figured I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. It contains a proprietary blend of herbs to attract cats, and a particle size that is supposed to be appealing.

Well, I’m on bag number two, and since switching there has not been a single incident of peeing or pooping outside the box. In fact, the cats absolutely love it, to the point where if the bag is left open they will climb inside and dump litter all over the floor. The box with Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract in it always gets used first and used the most. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how effective this. If you’re having issues with your cat not using the litter box consistently, give it a try – if it works everyone wins and if it doesn’t, you can always get your money back. It’s a premium litter and a little more expensive, but the additional cost balances out – cleaners for cat pee are also expensive and you’ll also be saving yourself a lot of stress and headaches. It’s helped Cajun go from a problem cat to a kitty that I trust around the house. Each bag also comes with a booklet with helpful information such as fixing behavioural litter box problems and cleaning up cat pee. 

Litter box photo by aloha orangeneko.