Litter
Getting the Scoop on Cat Litter
by Esther
Caldwell
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If we are to consider the preferences
of our cats, we may find that they like
to scratch around in litter that most
closely resembles sand. The texture of
litter made from small pellets of wood
or recycled newspaper may not be as well
received, for example, as the ground corn
or wheat litters.
Perfumes added to litters may please the
olfactory sensibilities of humans, but
cats often find artificial scents repellent.
One could also question litters made from
orange and grapefruit peels as cats do
not generally like the smell of citrus
fruits, but perhaps no strong smell remains
after the heating and drying process of
the peels. Some wood-based litters, such
as cedar, are not acceptable because of
the pungent oils that may irritate the
cats.
 How
safe is any cat litter? Always read the
product information thoroughly and critically.
Beware of those products that provide
no description of the litter material.
Keep in mind that a product deemed “natural”
is not automatically safe. (Clay, after
all, is a naturally occurring substance.)
Find out as much as you can about the
product. Does a litter made from recycled
paper, for instance, contain environmental
concerns might be related to the actual
production process? How, for example,
are the latest hi-tech silica gel pearls
created?
In these days of environmental concerns,
manufacturers like to boast that their
litters are biodegradable. Even better,
many are now flushable; that leaves less
litter ending up in landfills. Some manufacturers
recommend throwing the organic litter
into the compost or using it as mulch
in the garden. However, Virginia Swinson,
waste reduction officer for the city of
Peterborough, Ontario, advises against
disposing of the litter in this way as
the litter - even with the feces removed
- may contain organisms harmful to humans.
For our convenience, we want a litter
that doesn’t end up smelling badly;
some litters currently on the market will
neutralize odors naturally. (Of course,
part of the odor problem will always be
ours if we fail to clean the box daily.)
We are probably unanimous in agreeing
that a litter that clumps makes cleaning
up much easier, and there are litters
other than clay ones that will clump.
The World’s Best Cat Litter (corn)
and Swheatscoop (wheat) are two such products.
Finally, we prefer a litter that does
not spread beyond the box, so we have
to shop around for a litter that does
not track too much.
Those dirt boxes of 50 years ago were
definitely a simple and straightforward
solution, but none of us would willingly
return to them. Today, what we end up
choosing will be a litter that works for
both us and our cats, and hopefully, one
that is safe for us, our cats and the
environment.
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