This GREEN Life

There’s a new category of cat litter on the market that is gaining the attention of green bloggers. Unlike conventional clay and clumping clay litters, alternative cat litters are made out of natural materials. The sponsors of This GREEN Life make Feline Pine, an eco-friendly cat litter made out of sawdust that has been reclaimed from lumber mills and used to make tiny pellets that absorb moisture and neutralize the ammonia odor of cat urine.

Since Feline Pine is made out of sawdust it easily breaks down. The used cat litter can be used as mulch around trees and shrubs, or be put right into your compost bin. Just make sure to remove solid waste and discard of it properly.

Jeff at Sustainablog recently tried Feline Pine for himself. Read more about his switch to eco-friendly, all-natural cat litter.

Are YOU a Scooper?
Alternative, or plant derived litters, are available in scoopable (clumping) and non-scoopable. Both have their advantages and it really depends on personal preference. Some cat owners want a litter that clumps and forms a solid mass once wet. Traditional clumping clay cat litters contain sodium bentonite because of its ability to bind with liquid and create an insoluble mass. The scoopable alternative cat litters use natural ingredients, such as guar, that will not harm your cat’s digestive system when it grooms itself or inhales any of the litter particles. Guar is a natural substance used in products safe enough for human consumption such as ice cream and gum. Natural clumping agents allow cat owners to scoop out urine without the use of chemical additives. Some of the natural scooping cat litters clump just as well, if not better than clay clumping litters without the potential harmful side affects. You might have to try more than one scooping natural litter before you find the one that works best for you and your cat.

Cat boxes with non-scooping cat litter do not need as much attention. Instead of scooping out liquid waste, pellets absorb the liquid and only the solid waste needs to be scooped and discarded. If a low dust level is your number one priority a non-scooping natural litter is probably best for you. The alternative litters that come in pellet form are highly compressed and generate the least amount of dust. You know it is time to change the litter box when all of the pellets have expanded to absorb liquid and broken apart. As pellets break apart simply shake the litter pan and all of the fresh pellets will rise to the top.