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.

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.

I 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.

Scientists 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.

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

what is the name of this product that you use and recommend? thanks!

I'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!?

I 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!  

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!!!!!!!

Umbra 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?  

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.

I 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.

 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.

Use 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?

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. : )

Thanks 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.

I 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.

I 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.
 

Kitty 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.