Lend a Paw! Fill Your Cat's Litter Box With Biodegradable Litter!
With over 75 million pet cats (yes, you read that number correctly!) in the United States alone, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that a LOT of cat litter ends up in landfills. Thankfully, pet product companies have joined the fight to save Mother Earth and have come up with biodegradable litter options. What is biodegradable litter? Well, I'm glad you asked! First of all, the definition of biodegradable is: capable of decaying through the action of living organisms
What is Biodegradable Litter Made of?
Biodegradable litter is made of grain instead of clay. This is not only good news for our planet, this is good news for farmers too (after all, they are the ones who grow the grain!). Crumbled corn, corncob flakes and wheat litters all have the advantages of clay clumping litter but with fewer hazards! For example, if your cat decides to have corn flakes for breakfast and eats a mouthful of biodegradable corn litter, he will most likely have no adverse affects. However, if, for whatever reason, your cat decides to eat clay based litter for breakfast, he could end up at the veterinary hospital with a clogged intestine!
Biodegradable litters are much safer, especially for kittens (not to mention softer on the paws!). Biodegradable cat litters are also wonderful when it comes time to clean your house? Why? Well, litters that are made of grain do not produce the dust that clay litters do. In other words, when your cat dives into his litter box, a poof of dust will not fly out (which means LESS dusting for you!). Wonderful! Cat litter that is made of crumbled corn is also a great alternative for cats and kittens that suffer from allergies. Because there is no dust production, your feline's allergies will not become aggravated! Grain based litters are also wonderful for humans that suffer from allergies.
If you have an automatic litter box, no worries! Many Biodegradable litters can be used not only in basic cat litter boxes, but automatic litter boxes as well. World's Best Cat Litter, for example, is made of crumbled corn and is one of the most popular biodegradable cat litter products on the market today. I will warn you, litters made of grain often cost a bit more than regular clay clumping litters, however, saving the planet is worth spending a few extra cents…wouldn't you agree?!
Most, if not all of biodegradable cat litters can be flushed (awesome!). Of course, you should check the bag for further instructions and to make sure that the litter you have purchased is in fact safe for the type of septic system that you have. Other materials that are now used to make cat litter include paper and wood…both of which are biodegradable!
Switching Cat Litters
Even if you LOVE biodegradable litter it won't matter if your cat refuses to poop in it! Choosing a cat litter is a family decision (the family being YOU and your Cat!). If you are switching litters do so slowly so that your cat can become acclimated to his new toilet filler. Start by slowly adding the new litter in with the old, eventually weaning out the old litter all together. Hopefully, your cat will be none the wiser and will do his part to save Mother Earth without even realizing it!
If you have a cat, check out all of the biodegradable litters that are now available. Biodegradable litters are sold in most pet supply stores around the country. Though changing to a biodegradable litter might not solve the earth's problems…the less we add to landfills, the better! Think about it! Meow!
