Healthy Litter Choices

Pet Tip of the Month

Healthy Cat Litter Choices

In last month's pet tip we discussed the risks of using clumping cat litter. If you missed reading this important information, please take a moment or two to read the August Tip of the Month. As promised, this month we'll offer some healthy alternatives.

I'd like to start by mentioning that clay litter is not the best, or even a good alternative. Extracting clay for litter involves a mining process that is hard on the environment. Its environmental impact continues because it ends up in landfills where it does not degrade. Clay litter contains crystalline silica dust, which beyond being unhealthy for lungs of humans or animals, is a known carcinogen. Inhaled silica dust is the source of Silicosis that affects miners. If someone in your household has asthma, emphysema or any other condition that compromises respiration, you absolutely should avoid this type of litter; though I can't think of any good reason for anyone to use this litter given the environmental and health hazards.

The source of most of the information below is an excellent set of articles and reports by Marina Michaels, which can be accessed online at www.sonic.net. Michaels also includes comments on various brands and types of litters she has tried.

Recycled Newspaper and Paper

One category of healthy litter contains products made from recycled newspaper and other paper products, formed into pellets. These litters are easily composted in the landfill (please do not compost at home due to the possible presence of pathogens) or burned. Although most labels say they are flushable, we recommend against flushing in order to protect a) your sewer system and b) municipal water supplies.

Recycled paper litter is very inexpensive, can be kicked around more due to its lightness, but is easier to sweep up then other litters. While most manufacturers "de-ink" the paper they are using, do check, as many inks can be toxic. (It is actually illegal not to de-ink.) Another advantage is that this litter is lighter weight than many other varieties, making it less cumbersome to drag home from the store.

Peanut Hull Litters

The primary reason I would not suggest this type of litter, in that peanuts are a very heavily pesticide-sprayed crop. I have concerns about the pesticide exposure of cats that regularly came into contact with the litter from such a source.

Wood-Based Litters

Litter pellets made from cedar or pine offer another alternative. Some of these may vary in their deodorizing effectiveness. When this type of litter gets wet, it turns into sawdust and can be shaken down to the bottom of the box. When there are no longer enough pellets left provide an adequate surface area for the cat, the litter can be changed completely. Wood-based pellets are completely biodegradable, non-toxic and require a much smaller amount in the box than traditional clay or clumping litters-1 inch of litter compared to 4 or 5 inches.

Other Types

Other types of litter include: wheat and corn, citrus material, alfalfa, and corncob. Each of these seems to have more disadvantages than advantages in terms of either odor control effectiveness, cat-acceptability, or ease and required frequency of cleaning.

Overall, we feel wood-based or recycled paper litters offer the safest,
most effective and most environmentally friendly litter alternatives.

Making the switch

If you change types of cat litter, it's important to make the transition a gradual one for your cat. Michaels suggests if you are presently using clumping litter, you immediately switch to clay litter temporarily which most cats will do without a problem. Then, make the transition to whatever type of healthy litter you're going to try. Add a small amount of the new litter to the old; don't mix in. Clean frequently, gradually adding more of the new litter over the course of a week until you have 100% of the new litter in the box. If the cat resists using the box, decrease the amount of new litter until s/he gets used to it. You may also need to try different brands if your cat absolutely will not adapt.