Cat litter. It either works great or is crap. So many things about cat litter are important... the clump factor, the odor control...how many cats it is good for... I don't think many people think about if it's "healthy" for your cat. I'll first touch on that.
Sodium bentonite is often added as a clumping agent to traditional cat litters to create the “scoopable” clay litters on the market. That ingredient actually can swell to 15-18x it's original size. They use it in grouting work! Also, the dust/sand (Quartz silica) in litter can be inhaled, leading to respiratory problems and is also a known carcinogen to both humans AND animals. Sodium bentonite can poison a human, just think of what it could do to your cat... as well as if it swells that much - what if they ate a little? It would literally expand inside your cats digestive tract!
So what are the options? Look for naturally made litters that are not make of toxic materials. There are many on the market that are made of compacted pine shavings, cedar, newspaper, or corn cobs that make healthier alternatives. I have tried three of these: Feline Pine, Yesterdays News, and Swheat Scoop.
Personally I found Feline Pine to be awful. I believe we did try it when we had 5 cats... so maybe it would be better with just one... and maybe it just takes a daily or twice a day maintanence to keep it clean. Yesterdays news... it just was a great idea that I think is a poor product, made of little pellets of recycled newspaper - I found this all over my house from being stuck between the paw pads... and I don't think the cats liked it either. But to top it all off... I have found not only a GREAT natural product, but one that WORKS... and is eco-friendly. Swheat Scoop is certified flushable... so I am not even producing landfill waste by putting it in plastic bags or back into an empty litter container. This litter is made of wheat... it clumps great, it wards off litter box smell. It seems to be able to handle my 2 cats - and I can scoop right into the toilet and flush it away! I am at peace knowing that I am not poisoning my cat, that practically if desired... this litter could be eaten... and it's eco-friendly and I'm not putting 1 part of the process into a landfill because I am recycling the bag it came in... which might I add you can buy in a 40 lb. bag at your local Petsmart... so need to travel to a specialty or natural foods store is needed! Please visit their website at http://www.swheatscoop.com/home.html
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