Caring for your cat is extremely important especially considering that you are a cat owner and you would love to give it the best care in the world. One element of that care is to ensure that the cats have a clean, sanitary litter box in which to do their business. There are clay based litters, chemical based litters which contain toxic elements, contributes a lot of waste and smell problems. There are some positive benefits that eco-friendly cat litters offer for these issues.
It is important for you to note that there are various benefits of using an eco-friendly cat litter for your feline friend and the environment. Below are some of the many reasons why it is important to select a natural biodegradable litter for your cat.
Reduced Environmental Impact
The standard clay litters are strip-mined which takes energy, natural resources, and leaves large tracts of land impacted. The clay is also non-biodegradable hence when people use the clay they get to dispose of tons of waste clay to landfills annually. Chemical litters also have quite high impacts on the environment from the materials used and the disposal of the litters.
Biodegradable litters decompose when exposed to the environmental conditions and thereby minimize environmental pollution. Natural litters such as pine, wheat and corn are plant products that do not involve need for mining compared to synthetic litters. Some plant-based cat litters are completely biodegradable and you can even use them for composing. Choosing an eco-friendly litter eliminates the litter from going into the landfills and it makes the earth greener for your cat.
Exceptional Odor Control
Among all the disadvantages of traditional clay litter, people appear to suffer from the ammonia smell of urine emanating from their litter box regardless of how often they clean it. Eco-friendly litters have a porous nature other than the dens clay, therefore, the urine filters through the litter to the bottom of the box rather than forming a layer on the top of the litter. This lessens the formation of bad smell associated with ammonia emission.
Baking soda or activated charcoal also adds to many natural litters to that they can easily neutralize smell. Still, it is important to note the litters that are made from grass seed extracts inhibit bacterial growth that leads to formation of odors in the first instance. By using an eco-friendly litter, you will find that the stench level emanating from the litter box will be significantly reduced. Fresh air in the house is good for you and your cat; and the cat will be less stinky too!
Improved Cat Health
The components which enter setting ordinary clay and chemical litters are dangerous to your cat, particularly if the cat ends up ingesting some of the litter during grooming. Manufactured clay litters contain small silica particles which could be deleterious to the lungs if the animal breathes them in constantly. Even fragrances that you use to freshen your house like perfumes and the deodorants are also damaging to the respiratory tracts of cats. While litters that comprise clumping gels derived from sodium bentonite clay do not present health concerns when used as litter, cat’s consuming the clumps may experience intestinal blockages.
In contrast, there are biodegradable litters that are made from organic products such as corn, pine, wheat, or recycled paper, and should your cat take a few bites, it won’t cause harm. Other benefits which come with plant-based ingredients are that they are softer on sensitive paws as compared to rough clay particles. Your cat will love having a texture that is relatively soft for the act of scraping feces. All in all, natural litters have many advantages that ensure a more secure and healthy environment in the litter box.
Lower Tracking and Dust
Has it ever happened to you that you take a can of soda, open it and thereafter spill it on the floor? Standar clay litter gets easily lodged between paw pads and flicked all around the house. It is also a dusty process, and the dust that is produced rises into the air and can coat furnishing fabrics. It’s not any better with chemical fragrances, as this airborne clay dust is only going to become more irritating.
Biodegradable litters are often less dusty owing to the fact that they use large grains as opposed to tiny powdery clay. The heavier granules do not adhere to paws and tumble right back into the box. Some of the materials that are not likely to cause a lot of trouble include pine and newspaper among others. If you have to work with clay, you will no longer have to worry about tracking and swinging clay dust all around!
Moisture and Mold Control
Clay litters absorb fluids rapidly and since pets like to dig or scratch in their litter, the environment is perfect to support the growth of mold and bacteria. This becomes a nasty issue when litter is enclosed within the box as it tends to accumulate quickly. And once it enters deep into the spongy clay material, it is very hard to wash off the litter box completely.
Natural litters are made of highly absorbent material which provides your cat with a drier area to cover since liquids are able to trickle down to the bottom of the box. It does not wet the surface much to create a conducive environment for the formation of mold on the surface. Further, it also prevents bacterial growth with the litter keeping the litter drier resulting in a healthier situation about the litter box.
Extended Odor Control Time
None of the cat owners would like to clean the litter box several times a day due to smell produced by the cat’s urine or feces. Standard clay litter picks up smells very fast and it becomes a home to bacteria within hours of your cat using the box. This means that you are in the business of scooping more frequently than necessary with the hope of having a relatively fresh area.
It is found that quality natural litters are more absorbent to liquids and odors meaning that smells are likely to rise after longer intervals. In fact, there are formulas that can be used continually for up to two weeks without having to be prepared again! This is useful because frequent scooping and changing the litter is time-consuming, and the cat will be happier in a clean box.
Cost Savings
Eco-friendly litters may be a little more expensive compared to basic clay but given the fact that they have a longer usable life they can be regarded as cost effective to a certain degree. Sparing over two weeks after using one bag of litter compared to just a week with clay means a lot of saving. Also, there could be some saving on the electricity bill since you do not have to use the ventilation fans as often to eliminate the stench from the litter boxes around your residence. In the long run, natural litters are cost effective because they easily absorb spills and they are also effective in combating odors.
Better Biodegradability
Traditional clay based litteres are known to compact with other waste products and offer little or no usage once disposed off. Synthetic litters, in contrast, may not and can end up as pollutant while natural plant and fiber-based litters can turn to compost or fertilizer. Some municipalities also take further and include ecological cat litters into yard waste recycling programs. This is something that can add more comfort in the process of waste minimisation knowing that there is a way that the kitty litter can be composted. The only part I do not understand is why should we pour it to the landfill when we can feed our garden soil?
Take the Paw Pledge: Green Your Life
Given that there are presently more than 94 million pet cats in the United States, living in households, the effects that traditional clay and chemical litters have on the environment are considerable. Currently it is estimated that more than two million tones of clay-based cat litter are dumped into North American landfills annually. And that equals to 300000 dump trucks of litter waste all because of not properly disposing our waste.
For your information, whenever you change your cat’s litter to an eco-friendly and biodegradable type, you reduce the amount of harm your pet inflicts on the earth drastically. It means that when all loving cat owners together start making a shift toward making better choices for their cats, it begins to significantly reduce the kitty waste effect. Cats cannot simply convert to green on their own, therefore, make the switch to an eco-friendly cat litter for your furry friend.
The Litter Box: Let Your Cat Have Healthier and More Fun Time
Matter of fact, the eco-friendly litters are just a better all-around litter for both the cat and the owner. All-natural plant matter is a very soft material that does not leave behind a dusty residue, so cats are comfortable lying on it. The clumping and moisture absorption ability is above par and helps contain smells much longer than traditional clay. This reduces the chance of distributing litter all over your floors to a bare minimum. Besides, the satisfaction of not contributing to the already full landfills by burying waste clay and the elimination of the use of potentially toxic substances that are commonly used in the manufacture of standard litters.
The change in the formula is that it is 100% natural; it improves the litter box habits, the air quality, and decreases the amount of waste. It will be greatly appreciated by your cat because they are able to use a litter which is healthy and does not put stress on its joints. Sifting through the options in this review, going green with cat litter is right up your alley and your cat’s. Choose natural litter because it will make your cat happy as well as the environmental impact will not be as bad.
