Litter Bugged

Umbra on kitty litter 25

Dear Umbra,

I recently adopted a cat, and I am having a hard time deciding what to do with the kitty litter. Is there some kind of green litter that is best to use? Anything flushable and sewage-tank friendly? Or, can I compost the litter -- and what should I use to cover it up with?

Kate Graves
Nashville, Tenn.

Dearest Kate,

Just as our eco-children can be diaper-free, it appears our cats can be litter-free. Teach your kitty to use the toilet! Tutorials and tips await you on the internet, and Grist staffers have confirmed that this seemingly bonkers notion works. If you undertake this monumental task and succeed, no cat hater will ever be able to impugn your cat's intelligence.

Think outside the box.

Should you choose to stick with the litter box, please eschew clay. Bentonite clay is strip-mined to make cat litter, which is not only destructive to the natural environment, but ridiculous. We strip mine for cat poop? As far as other materials go, I don't understand why wood shavings from a nearby carpenter wouldn't work just as well as store-bought litters -- and I don't need to know -- but today's cat owner has a wide choice of recycled-paper and wood options. I'd go for one of the recycled-content types. By the way, adding our favorite magic ingredient, baking soda, can help you keep things fresher longer, and therefore use less litter.

How to get rid of it, you ask? Most knowledgeable folks recommend flushing the actual poop -- though if you have a septic tank, garbage may be a better choice -- and then tightly bagging the litter to send to the landfill. Check with your town's solid-waste agency for more details.

There is also another option, which I won't even explain until I say this: Cats can carry the disease toxoplasmosis and pass it on to us via oocysts (a dormant stage of the disease) in their feces. This disease can be fatal to infants and immune-system-deficient adults, and make the rest of us sick. Do not handle cat poop if you are pregnant, and don't let small children do it either. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling cat poop, no matter who you are.

That said, you can compost your catbox contents! Use a separate container from your other compost. It doesn't need to be fancy -- a small trash can with holes in the bottom and a tight lid will be fine. Just put the soiled litter in, and after all the poop has been in there anaerobically composting for over a year, spread it on your ornamental plants. Or you can bury fresh feces in a foot-deep hole, though not within 100 feet of a water source. Do not put fresh or composted cat poop in your vegetable garden. And if you have kids playing in your yard, I wouldn't do any of this.

By the way, reading more than one poop letter makes me ill, as I learned with dog-poop scooping. If you cat owners have something to share -- and I know you do -- please do your business in Gristmill. Thanks.

Tactfully,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Send your green-living questions to Umbra.

For even more green goodness, you can follow Umbra on Twitter (@AskUmbra).

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

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  1. Kathleen Posted 5:25 am
    26 Sep 2005

    Try Swheat Scoop Litter...We've got one cat who will pee in the toilet when no other option is available, but the other one was a hopeless case.
    We've been flushing Swheat Scoop Litter for 5 years at our house with no problems at all.  According to the manufacturers, it is "good for the earth."  It's 100% biodegradable, sewer and septic safe (certified, even), 100% compostable, and derived from a renewable resource (wheat).
    In our experience, it works just as well as conventional litter.  Frankly, I was surprised Umbra didn't mention it.

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  2. SolarBozo's avatar

    SolarBozo Posted 5:40 am
    26 Sep 2005

    The Dirt on Poop (or the Poop on Dirt)After tiring of spending hard-earned cash on cat litter, we tried dirt. It Works! (At least *MY* dirt works.)
    It lasts about a week and a half before we can smell it in the house, then we change it. We "compost" it by putting it out in the woods, out of the way.
    My property is composed of ancient sand dunes that have slowly had soil buildup. Our soil may not be like your soil, but I think it is worth a try.
    The only drawback is that sometimes she inadvertently drags some small amount of dirt fines out of the litter box when she exits.

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  3. ninshubur Posted 7:19 am
    26 Sep 2005

    recycled pine litter in the compostI have two fabulous cats, who poop and pee happily in recycled pine litter. I scoop the poop and compost the rest. The cat urine in the compost has an added benefit: Mice and rats associate the smell with death, and give my garden a wide, wide berth.
    By the way, the risk of toxoplasmosis can be eliminated if you poop-scoop your cat box regularly -- the stage of the parasite that's shed in feces doesn't become infectious for a full 24 hours. Even better yet: Keep your cat indoors, for the sake of the cat and your local avian ecosystem. Most cats get the disease from killing birds and mice. If nothing else, put a bell on that cat.

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  4. City Hippy Posted 7:30 am
    26 Sep 2005

    Paying homage to UmbraHi Umbra
    One of our collective posted back in May about going on the road in an RV and included a section on Cat Litter - their cat in an RV was gonna be a problem re litter.
    They recommended a good site full of info and alternatives...
    Hope that helps your readers...
    Namaste

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  5. VictoriaE Posted 9:27 am
    26 Sep 2005

    Feline PineI've tried Sweat Scoop before, but it did nothing for the small of the feces or urine, so I stopped using it after the first bag.  I have found that Feine Pine works a lot better for me.  They even have a special litter box that you can get to make emptying the litter even easier.
    http://www.felinepine.com/

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  6. Avidities Posted 9:50 am
    26 Sep 2005

    Teaching the Cat to Flush Could Be a Bad IdeaScientists and researchers discovered a correlation between Toxoplasma gondii and the decrease in the sea otter population off the California Coast. Since cats are the only creatures that shed the T. gondii parasite, through their feces, there seems to be a direct link.
    T. gondii is a parasite with a two-phase life cycle: intestinal and extraintestinal. In cats, the intestinal phase goes through a process which eventually produces oocysts, which are "shed" in the feces.
    How Did T. Gondii Get into the Ocean? Although no one knows for certain, it is thought that there could be several causes, including ferel cats, storm drain runoff, and sewage treatment plants.
    Treatment plants traditionally treat sewage to kill harmful bacteria. Unfortunately present means of sewage treatment do not kill the T. Gondii parasite.
    Cat owners using flushable litters, may be unwittingly contributing to the ultimate deaths of sea otters.

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  7. katharine Posted 10:30 am
    26 Sep 2005

    cat litterHi,

    We use "World's Best Cat Litter," made from 100% whole kernel corn.  It works great; I highly recommend it.

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  8. cicatrix Posted 11:11 am
    26 Sep 2005

    corn kitty litterthe 'World's Best' mentioned above sounds a lot like the President's Choice Green cat litter we use.  The stuff is amazing.  Naturally 'deodorising', naturally clumping, compostable, fully flushable, light, smells great (I know, what a concept), cleans up easily if it gets kicked across the floor, and a bag of the stuff lasts forever (even though it doesn't look like enough to last a week when you first buy it).  I evangelise this product to every cat owner I come across, I think it's that great.

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  9. Ecoveggirl Posted 11:51 am
    26 Sep 2005

    On toxoplasmosisHello, I just joined so I could post here about this.

    I wanted to make sure that the right information is given about toxoplasmosis, it would deeply sadden me if someone out there gave up their cat for fear of infection after reading that.
    http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html

    http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_prescription_for_toxoplasmosis_learn_the_facts_and_keep_your_f
    amily_together.html

    http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/new_survey_shows_pregnant_women_getting_mi
    xed_messages_on_toxoplasmosis_and_cats.html

    http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/the_hsus_reaches_out_to_obgyns_on_the_myth
    s_and_facts_of_toxoplasmosis.html
    I am a cat lover myself and I'm glad Umbra (finally) addressed the litter issue.

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  10. kedap Posted 11:54 am
    26 Sep 2005

    corn cat litterwhat is the name of this product that you use and recommend? thanks!

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  11. rglater Posted 12:10 pm
    26 Sep 2005

    Pet poo ConverterI have to take immune supressors so I have an automated litter box to reduce handling the litter.  I have used this product for both cat and dog waste and it works great.
    The Tumbleweed Pet Poo Converter is a worm farm which harnesses the power of nature to recycle pet droppings into worm castings and liquid manure (compost tea). The tea, often referred to by gardeners as `liquid gold', is highly concentrated and can be mixed one part tea to four parts water.
    http://www.tumbleweedsales.us/products_pet.html

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  12. lipseyebrows Posted 2:02 pm
    26 Sep 2005

    Swheat ScoopI'm also a fan of Swheat Scoop.  Its flushable and not harmful to the cats.  Its not great for small spaces, though.  Also, if you're not right on top of things, it can become an armadillo shell-like substance on the bottom of the litter box.  Not that I know that from experience!?

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  13. awherrmann Posted 12:12 am
    27 Sep 2005

    Litter BuggedI use a regular clumping cat litter but I sprinkle over it a powder called Nature's Miracle, available at PetsMart and probably at other stores selling pet products, although I've never seen it in a supermarket.  (I promise I am not affiliated w/ this product, just a consumer!) Nature's Miracle apparently has an enzyme that neuralizes the cat urine smell and it really works.  Litter lasts for weeks and weeks, really until you use it up, as long as you scoop out daily (I bag it in plastic grocery bags and and dispose of it in my garbage)and sprinkly the powder lightly over the surface of the litter each day.  (BTW, there is a liquid also called Nature's Miracle--and there are other brands, like Petzyme, as well--that you can spray on areas,like a rug w/ cat urine on it, to make that horrible smell disappear. These products are pricey, but really make a huge difference--you use very little amounts of cat litter per day and your home can be free of cat odor!  

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  14. TubbyC Posted 12:44 am
    27 Sep 2005

    my cat's choice - whether I like it or not !I'm suprised everyone who's commented has the opportunity to try different litter types.  I have no choice, my cat decides what type of toilet she uses, clay litter or pot plants...either or, she's not fussy!!!!!!!

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  15. BJR Posted 3:52 am
    27 Sep 2005

    kitty litter the old-fashioned wayUmbra said she couldn't see why people don't just use sawdust from a local mill.  I can tell you why, because that's what my family in Maine did sixty years ago when I was a little kid.  The sawdust attaches to the cat's furry behind and gets spread all over the house.  Too messy, even for a casual housekeeper like myself.  Unsanitary too, especially if there are any at-risk types in the household.  

    And nowadays where would you find a local mill? and where would you find a mill that didn't saw treated lumber?  Why aren't the risks of treated lumber properly publicized?  

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  16. MichaelL Posted 4:25 am
    27 Sep 2005

    Montmorillonite = Bentonite Clay; burn it?I was surprised that my cat litter is probably strip mined, so I called Purina at the 1-800 number on the box.  Surprisingly also, someone actually answered soon.  Not so surprisingly she had no idea if the litter was strip mined or not.  So I asked if it was bentonite, which she confirmed.  She said their other product (not clumping/not scoopable) is Montmorillonite.  Ah, but then you have to throw away more.  But I googled the latter and it is the same as Bentonite apparently.  They don't sell any other kinds of litter.
    The Purina representative was really nice on the phone and thought it was awful that this stuff was strip mined.  She asked where I read about it, and she now has the grist.org web site address, so maybe folks over there will start a little revolution.
    Enough about that.  If I use wood chips, and am not comfortable composting, I wonder if it could all be used as fuel?  I know that animal scat is often used as fuel, and it seem that the baddie parasites wouldn't survive the ordeal.

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  17. titania Posted 7:13 am
    27 Sep 2005

    LitterMate in CanadaI have been using LitterMate for the past two years.  It is a Biodegradeable, clumping, non-toxic cat litter.  LitterMate is made with barley and baking soda.  Not only does it work great (flush the clumps, compost the remainder) but it is supporting prairie farmers who grow the grain for the litter.  I don't even consider buying anything else and I recommend it to everyone I know.

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  18. lenahyena Posted 8:45 am
    27 Sep 2005

    world's best perhaps... i also use world's best, even if you dont get to scooping for a couple days, it keeps the odor at bay, and you never have to dump the unscooped litter, just add more. also proven by my aunt who would keep her kitty in her room the whole time she would visit.

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  19. liza Posted 2:04 pm
    27 Sep 2005

    letterUse 1.6 gallons of drinking water to flush cat poop?  Or maybe 6 gallons?  This is NOT an environmental solution.  Read "Humanure" and get serious about the 400-year drought we are currently in the middle of, even without the effects of global warming.  Putting poop in a bag, tying it off, and adding it to the solid waste stream is probably best for an urban solution -- it will compost eventually.  Rural/suburban solutions require a compost pile -- and of course you have one of those, right?

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  20. jungle lotus Posted 3:10 pm
    27 Sep 2005

    VetbasisI use Vetbasis (http://www.vetbasis.com). It's a clumping litter derived from corncob that's light, flushable (though I don't do that), long-lasting and has a lavender scent that may work too well -- whenever I make a fresh litterbox, my little friend refuses to cover his own poop for the first use. He must not be able to smell it, but -- Lordy!-- I can.
    I see that no one has mentioned it, so If there's anything not quite kosher about this brand, please feel free to rid me of my disillusion.

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  21. Wren Posted 6:55 pm
    27 Sep 2005

    dirt : )To add to the other person's comment about using her local dirt, I have read in cat books that when your cat is not going inside the box, it can help entice them back to good habits by using potting soil in place of regular litter.  They actually usually are supposed to prefer it.
    So I guess anyone's dirt will probably do (as long as it's not full of thorns and other nasties!). ^_^
    I might have to try this one myself as I bet my cat will like it very much... being that she has killed two houseplants by turning them into litterboxes, despite my efforts to deter her. ^.^**
    That being said, you'll probably have to scoop more often than with clay litter?  But the person already doing this could answer that better than me, I'm just guessing. : )

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  22. Rebecca Posted 1:28 am
    28 Sep 2005

    litterbuggedThanks to all the readers who have already jumped on the toxoplasmosis bandwagon.  UMBRA, please don't unwittingly help spread the bad information that all cats carry and communicate this disease.  Sadly, too many family pets are dumped at shelters for fear the cat will be a health threat to mom-to-be or new baby.
    If your cat lives indoors (and it should!) and if you don't have an indoor rodent population (sure hope you don't), your cat isn't going to contract toxoplasmosis.  That nasty parasite enters a cat through ingestion of birds, mice and other little outdoor critters which cats love to chase and eat.
    Do everyone a service -- your neighbors, the songbirds, your vet bill, and certainly your kitty -- by keeping your pet indoors.  Cats don't have to roam the great outdoors to be happy -- in fact, the great outdoors is anything but great for most cats.
    If your family physician or obstetrician encourages you to get rid of the cat, find a new doctor -- or at least ask your veterinarian for advice.  Don't simply dump your trusting feline.
    P.S.  Be cautious about adding baking soda to any kitty litter in order to control odor.  Baking soda can change the PH level of the urine and your cat may actually begin peeing outside the box in confusion.

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  23. smessing Posted 12:31 am
    19 Jun 2006

    Cat LitterI just discovered Grist and the cat litter discussion. If it's still active, I have a question. I use Cedarific (which is ground up cedar) which I scoop out on an ongoing basis and just flush away the waste part. Now I'm getting ready to go septic. I know I can't flush now because of the septic system. Some readers say they just sprinkle the urine part of the cedar litter in the garden (did I understand correctly?). What do people do with the feces? I guess I can ask the septic system professionals if it would be okay if I just flush the feces. They would just be slightly coated with cedar. Sorry to be so graphic, but I guess we're all pretty used to dealing with kitty litter. Thanks so much.

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  24. delia01 Posted 11:36 am
    15 Sep 2007

    kitty litterI have been using Green Tea Leaves Cat Litter from Next Generation Pet Products.  It clumps hard, is flushable.  It is not fine so you can see it on the floor when the cat steps out with some which makes it easier to clean up.
    I do not flush and now am using the Litter Lock waste receptacle I purchased at Petco.  Works fine.

     

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  25. zuni Posted 3:46 am
    05 Mar 2008

    Kitty litter that sustainableKitty litter needs to be sustainable from both an economic and environmental standpoint. Wheat prices are going up fast, and the corn used in many litters is actually genetically enhanced. Hmmm.
    Well, whatever you choose, do NOT flush poop! Waste water processing is very expensive, and the water eventually comes back to us! Put the waste where it belongs... in the compost/green bin or garbage.

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