When you bring a kitten or cat into your home, there are many items that you will need to buy. Some of those, such as a kitty bed or kitty condo, will be only occasional purchases. Other, such as cat litter, will need to be purchased on a regular basis. It is important to choose a litter that your cat will like and that you will be happy having to purchase once or twice a month. For those people who care deeply about doing their part to save nature’s resources, environmentally friendly cat litter is the best choice.
It is important to keep in mind that your best intentions are not going to mean much if the cat refuses to use the earth-friendly litter. Some cats are simply pickier than others when it comes to what type of litter they will use.
Some will only use traditional clay litter. Other cats don’t really care what type of litter is in their box. If it’s in their box they are going to use it. The only way to know if your cat will be willing to use one of the types of litter that is good for the earth is to try it.
Making the Change
When changing from another type of litter to environmentally friendly cat litter, it is important to transition the right way. You do not want to make the transition very sudden. If you do, there is less of a chance that your cat will respond well to the change.
Instead, you want to introduce the new litter gradually. Start by placing a small amount of the new litter in with his old litter. Over the next several days, gradually increase the amount of new litter while decreasing the amount of the old litter.
Another option is to leave his current litter box filled with his old litter. Place a new box next to it with the new litter. Add just a bit of the old litter so the cat will understand what this new box is all about. If you find that the cat is using the new box with no problems, you can eliminate the old box and the old type of litter.
Types of Environmentally Friendly Cat Litter
Recycled Paper
One type of litter that earth conscience pet owners may choose is made from recycled newspaper or other types of recycled paper. The paper is shredded into material that resembles traditional litter and works much like clay litter.
Litter Made from Wood
Environmentally friendly cat litter made from wood comes in different forms. Some brands feature wood that is pressed into pellets. Others are simply wood shavings. Still others are ground to resemble traditional litter.
While all are fairly effective at controlling odors and absorbing wetness, some cats will be less likely to want to use the pellets or the shavings. They may instead prefer the litter made from wood that more closely resembles the texture of traditional cat litter.
Grass Boxes
This litter alternative is fairly new on the scene. It is not really litter at all, but instead provides an environmentally friendly alternative. It is a box of actual grass. The makers say that it is like bringing the outside in. You simply pick up solid waste while urine can be rinsed away manually or automatically, depending on the type of box.
You can choose real grass or synthetic and the grass can be easily changed anytime it becomes necessary.
While these grass boxes are marketed to dog owners, some cat owners are using them as well.
Reusable Litter
Reusable litter sounds like a good, economical choice. There are, however, some things that you should know before choosing this type of litter. Reusable litter is usually in the form of small balls or pellets. They are placed in a special litter box that is hooked to a water line. When the cat uses the bathroom, the box will rinse the pellets and the box leaving it fresh and clean for the cat’s next use.
While it is quite a low maintenance choice, the box itself is quite expensive with a price tag of between $250 and $300. Also, you can only use the box where there is a water line. This certainly limits your options when it comes to where you want to keep your cat’s gear.
Also, some cats will not be fond of the texture of the litter and may refuse to use the box.
Before investing in this type of box and litter, you might want to try to figure out how picky your cat is about his litter. Try to use an inexpensive pellet or ball type litter. If he responds well to it, he may be a good candidate to use reusable litter.
Litter Made from Wheat
One company makes cat litter from wheat. This is an odor absorbing choice and because the texture is much like that of traditional litter, many cats that may shy away from some other alternative litters will be willing to use this one.
Litter Made from Corn
Much like the litter made from wheat, corn is ground down until the texture resembles clay or clumping cat litter. Again, this is a good choice for cats that are a bit picky.
As you can see, if using environmentally friendly cat litter is important to you there are plenty of options. It might take some trial and error before you find a litter that is both earth-friendly and that works well for you and your pet.
While some of the types of litter mentioned above will be available at most any pet supply store, some may have to be ordered over the internet. It is a good idea not to stock up on any type of new litter until you have used it to see if it is effective and that your cat will use it.
Some may cost a bit more than traditional clay and clumping litter, but some are willing to pay a little more in order to be able to have the peace of mind to know that their choice is not harming the environment.
