As you're now sure to see, cat litter does not dissolve in water due to its absorbent properties. You can, however, use it's absorptive properties to your advantage beyond cleaning up your pet's waste by applying it in areas of your home or elsewhere where there is too much moisture.
Some products, such as our own Wee Kitty Clumping Corn litter or the Do Good Cat Litter, can make a pet parent's life easier as they can be flushed down the toilet. Other types aren't as safe and they run the risk of not just adding microorganisms to your local waterways, but they might also create a clog.
As soon as this material gets wet, its physical characteristics change and the particles melt into a slimy clay mess. It is made this way to make it easier to clean a cat litter box. The wet areas “melt” and form a lump, after drying, that is easier to find and remove from the litter box.
The clay used in cat litter is a natural soil component made of minerals—either calcium montmorillonite or the clumping sodium bentonite. Neither type breaks down further in a landfill or your compost pile. So although both are naturally occurring, they are not technically biodegradable.
Put it in the Trash
Use a litter scoop to sift out urine clumps and stool and place in a small trash bag. Once all the boxes in your house are scooped, tie off the garbage bag in a knot. To prevent odor and bacterial leakage, double bag your scooped litter. Place in an outside trash can with a tight fitting lid.
Clumping litters are linked to a wide range of cat health problems including diarrhea, vomiting, kidney and respiratory problems, lethargy, etc. Clumping litter forms a hard, insoluble mass when it gets wet. It also produces a fine dust. When cats use the litter box, they lick themselves clean and ingest the dust.
The Downsides to Clumping Litter
Clumping litter is often finer than non-clumping litter, this is part of what makes it clump. As a result, it can often be dustier. So if your cat has allergies or asthma, it might not be a good choice.
Twice a week is a general guideline for replacing clay litter, but depending on your circumstances, you may need to replace it every other day or only once a week. If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every two to three weeks.
Silica litter prevents bacteria with crystals that absorb urine and help dehydrate feces, making your cat's litter box too dry to sustain any growth. This helps prevent kidney problems and UTIs in cats. Environmentally, silica litters will biodegrade and are non-toxic, making them a better choice than clay.
It's easier to scoop
With clumping litter, the waste is contained in tight clumps that are simple to remove with a scoop. Clumping cat litter is highly absorbent and designed in a way that each time your cat uses their tray, firm clumps are formed which can easily be removed.
As clay cat litter is not biodegradable, much of the waste ends up in landfill where it will likely stay forever. Even without the plastic bags and liners which are often used to dispose of litter, the clay does not naturally decompose, but will stick around for thousands of years (much like Roman clay pottery).
Kitty litter contains materials that can quickly cause a plumbing emergency. Most kitty litter is made of bentonite clay. As you likely know, clay is solid yet moldable while it's wet and then hardens completely when dry. Flushing kitty litter down your toilet means you're introducing bentonite clay into your plumbing.
Crystal litter absorbs urine and dehydrates waste, making it five times more effective at reducing odors than other litters such as clumping clay. It is also more cost-effective as cats use less crystal litter over time.
Any biodegradable, plant-based cat litter with no additives can be composted. This includes CATMATE wood pellet litter, paper, wheat, grass, corn, tofu, and walnut shell litter. Clay and crystal cat litters cannot be composted as they will not break down into organic material.
It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. In addition, cats kept indoors (that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat) are not likely to be infected with Toxoplasma.
However, you must shop wisely and avoid clay, wheat, corn, crystal, and wood clumping litters. These clumping litters pose serious health risks to you and your cat. Breathing in these litters can cause respiratory issues, cancer, and starch-based litters are at risk for deadly mold.
You've probably heard that you should put your phone in a bag of rice in an attempt to dry it out if it gets wet, but after some thorough testing from the folks at Gazelle, it turns out there is something that will absorb way more water from your damaged device. It's kitty litter!
Elsey's Senior Litter absorbs urine and odor on contact and traps it inside the crystals, keeping a cat's genital area clean to help prevent urinary tract infections. Its small particle size and fine dust also coats and dehydrates cat feces to reduce odor.
Your cat could be just trying to maintain her scent in the box, even though you're cleaning it. Animals usually go to the bathroom to give us a message. If it's outside the litter box, they could be stressed or in need of a clean place to go.
How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.
On one hand, too much litter in your cat's litter box can cause overflow and spillage problems all over your bathroom floor. On the other hand, too little litter in the box can create smelly and messy poo problems when your cat isn't able to dig enough litter to hide their solid waste.
Clumping litters usually contain sodium bentonite, which is a natural clay. Even though sodium bentonite is considered to be an inert, non-toxic substance, many clumping litters form very hard, cement-like clumps which are not safe to be flushed as they may clog the plumbing in your home.
Both tofu and wood pellet litters are non-toxic to cats and humans, though there are some caveats: Any purpose made wood cat litter will be kiln-dried, which evaporates essential oils and phenols that are toxic to cats. If not kiln-dried (which is rare), wood pellets can pose some danger to cats.
We do not recommend mixing a non-clumping litter with the clumping clay and it could inhibit the scoopable litter's ability to clump.
If your cat is eating litter, it could be a sign that they have an underlying health issue. Petful points out that eating litter can be a sign of anemia, a vitamin or mineral deficiency or a neurological disorder — all conditions that require diagnosis by a veterinarian.