Clever Alternatives To Cat Litter
Nicole Cosgrove
Many people look for cat litter alternatives for a variety of reasons. Some wish to save money while others want to know what substitutes are available in case they cant get cat litter or they run out of it.
If youre looking for some cat litter substitutes, were here to help! Below are some interesting and even clever alternatives to cat litter you may never have thought of on your own.
Cons Of Using Cat Litter For Succulents
- It is not suitable to be used in larger amounts especially for plants loving dry conditions. As it is clayey in nature it will hold moisture for a long time. Damp soil will facilitate root rot which will kill the plant ultimately. So for succulents, it is safer to not use cat litter and use other alternatives mentioned below. If you wanna use it, give a sharp eye over its quantity.
- Cat litter is mainly used for growing plants that love moist soil. It will keep the soil muddy and this will prevent aeration in the soil. Lack of oxygen in the soil will lead to the growth of underdeveloped roots which is not good news for the succulent.
- The desired types of cat litter that suits the need of succulents are in most cases not readily available everywhere. The cat litter you wanna use for growing succulents needs to be sterile, scent-free, and chemical-free. Finding this can be a challenge and its alternatives are more readily available that have the same pros as cat litters and at the same time facilitates better drainage.
- It can lead to the generation of a strange smell from the soil. In some cases using cat litter in the soil mix can lead to a strong smell which is thought to keep pests away. However, it can be irritating for others as well. However, this is unlikely if you use smaller quantities in the soil mix.
Should Litter Trays Be Open Or Have A Lid/cover On Them For Privacy
Covered litter trays are popular with owners, as the contents remain largely out of sight and many people assume they are preferable for cats too as they provide a discreet and private space.
In fact, many cats like to feel they can see all around them when going to the toilet.
Most cats will adapt to a covered tray but there are some who feel vulnerable confined in a small space with only one exit point. In multi-cat households open trays tend to be preferable as any cat using one cannot be ambushed by another that has been hiding out of sight.
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Cheap Cat Litter Alternatives: What Can I Use Instead Of Cat Litter
Head on to find 9 super-cool cheap cat litter alternatives!
Are you running out of money and want to save some money on cat litter? Well, we understand commercial cat litters are expensive and, it may make you broke sometimes!
But, no worries, we have got some of the unique and the best cat litter alternatives options only for you.
These cat litter alternatives are easy to make and do not take much time as well.
Freshening Up Sale Items
Keep old books and vintage items from smelling musty by using kitty litter
Whether you’ve turned into a bigwig on eBay or you’re merely having a one-time garage sale, you can freshen up books and vintage clothing by sealing them in a box with cat litter. You’ll need an airtight plastic storage container large enough to fit the items. Fill the bottom with a few inches of litter, place whatever stinks on top in a single layer and then seal it shut. Let it sit at least 24 hours before opening.
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Can I Use Beans Instead Of Litter
Sure. Again, I recommend actually eat the beans rather than dumping them in your cat box. But, if you hate pinto beans or you have a bag thats just too old to be used, you can definitely use that instead of cat litter. Again, remember that they wont absorb urine or mask odor.
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What Is Cat Litter Anyway
Cat litter is basically an indoor feces and urine collector for indoor cats. In order to be effective, cat litter must be absorbent. Cats naturally want to bury their excrement, so its important to use something that they can sweep around with their paws.
Our modern kitty litter was actually an accidental discovery. Although humans have had feline companions for nearly 10,000 years, it wasnt until the 1940s that clay-based kitty litter was commercially available. The granulated absorbent mixture we know as kitty litter today came into existence when Edward Lowe suggested his neighbor use an industrial absorbent in his litter box. Shortly thereafter, he began packaging and selling the stuff to pet owners.
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Issues To Watch Out For And And An Easy Solution
The downside of potting mix or sand is that the urine smell is not very well concealed or contained, and VERY REGULAR cleaning is required. Removing cat urine odor can be no fun!
Whatever base you choose to use, one of the best cat urine odor removal products is the stain and odor eliminator, from Urine Off. The Bio-Enzymatic formula is guaranteed to completely and permanently remove stains and the smell of urine.
Among many other things, it will remove urine odours and act as a litter deodorizer. It contains natural additives for deodorising cat litter, the natural way.
This and a number of other cat urine smell eliminating products have urine-eating micro-organisms in them.
No, they are not harmful, and yes they can help keep sand, potting mix, chicken feed or lucerne pellets and other substrates smelling a bit better. Usually, the product will nominate that they have a bacterial action
Unethical And Unsafe Disposal Methods
1) Flushing
Do you want cat litter clogging your toilets? No, right. So, do not flush it down your toilet. Even the package says it is flush-able. Municipal wastewater treatment plants may not be equipped to kill the parasites in it. It would contaminate the water bodies affecting sea animals.
2) Burning
It is a common practice in rural households. The used litter would not burn well, and the unburned particles pollute soil and air. This method also makes toxins airborne and viable. Please do refrain from this.
Some Green Solutions To Reduce Carbon Footprints
I hope you are well-informed about dealing with used cat litter now. Adopt these measures for a safe and healthy environment for you and your cats. You can also read our guides on their willingness of sharing a litter box here.
If you have any suggestions or doubts, leave a comment below.
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Fresh Step Ultra Unscented Cat Litter
This very product comes with supplementation being capable of trapping the notorious smell. The pellet on getting in contact with the excreted material leaves no sticky stuff and prevents any bacterial growth. Not only is scooping convenient, but the surrounding air remains fresh too. This new formula has no dust release and maintains the hygiene perfectly well.
Refresh Your Cat Litter
If you have run out of cat litter but have yet to dispose of the old litter, you might be able to salvage what you have. At least for another day or until you can head to the store to buy more. Heres what you need to do.
Following these steps will help remove odor and should appease your feline friend until you can replace their litter in its entirety. Don’t worry your cat will forgive you.
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What Can I Use Instead Of Cat Litter: Top 10 Substitutes
Updated on By MrBossCat Team
What can I use instead of cat litter? is not a common question among cat owners, but it should be!
Have you ever found yourself in the pet store staring at the sky-high prices of kitty litter? Buying commercial litter can really hurt your budget, and things get even more complicated if you have more than one furry friend.
Using other litter materials can also potentially prevent health issues for you and your feline, help you preserve the environment, live a more sustainable life, and save you money. Thankfully, there are several cat litter alternatives that cost less, are eco-friendly, and are easy to find. My favorite option is sand, but there are plenty of other options too.
To make your life easier, I included the top ten choices in this article. You cannot expect the same performance as store-bought litter from all ten substitutes, but most of them will do a great job. I have also included all the reasons why you should consider using another substance in place of your regular cat litter. So, lets get started!
Can I Use An Emergency Cat Litter
Unless you are absolutely stuck, without any options whatsoever, we dont recommend using an emergency cat litter. Cats do not like drastic change and may resist using whatever method you provide.
Ideally, if youre going to use an emergency cat litter, you will still have the old cat litter available and can mix them. We understand this may not be possible, so we have some additional options available for you as well.
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What Can I Use Instead Of Cat Litter Top 10 Substitute For Litter
Lets face it. Cat litters are required daily. But many people do not want to use commercial ones as their preference may vary.
So do we have any cat litter alternatives? Is there any substitute that would work as good as a commercial cat litter?
In this article, we are going to explore that and see what we can use instead of a cat litter.
Quick Note: Although it mostly depends on your preference if you want to use the following alternatives, I highly recommend to keep at least 1 bag of extra commercial cat litter in your house. I had faced multiple situations where I realized it was my mistake not to have any kind of litter in my house and felt embarrassed in front of guests. Personally, I use this cat litter from Dr.Elseys, and its working like a charm.
Commercial cat litter is made of clay, also known as Sodium Bentonite . While clay litter is the most popular choice, it also comes with a lot of problems.
Clay litter is not biodegradable, and it has environmental repercussions. As one needs to change the cat litter at least once every month, it can add up to quite a sum of money in your yearly budget.
If digested, clay litter can cause a plethora of health problems in cats. Cats can even be allergic to bentonite. So, we have curated a list of all the viable alternatives that you can use as a cat litter.
What Cat Litter Should I Use
Cat litter products can be made out of paper, wood, silica, corn, wheat and Fullers earth, but most cats tend to prefer non-scented litter that most resembles sand. Sand-like litters tend to be quite heavy to carry but other lighter biodegradable products are also available. Cats will develop a preference for a certain type of cat litter from a young age, so its best to stick to what they are used to as much as possible.
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Better For The Environment
Traditional cat litter isnt environmentally friendly. Most store-bought litters contain clay that is strip-mined. This process of mining destroys trees, forests, and the natural habitat of many different animal species. Many environmentally conscious people look at finding more eco-friendly alternatives that dont have such a dramatic impact on our planet.
Besides, mounds of cat litter end up in landfill sites every year and people are searching for biodegradable alternatives that doesnt clog up our planet. There is a type of shop-bought litter that claims it is flushable and biodegradable. However, this just causes another environmental issue as the clumps of litter will sometimes end up in water sources and easily contaminate them.
Mistakes People Make When Disposing Of Cat Litter
We’ve explained the right way to dispose of cat litter, but we’ll also fill you in on the wrong way. When disposing of cat litter, it’s best to avoid making the following mistakes.
- Do not scoop cat litter into your garbage or bathroom trash can and let it sit. Theres the possibility of contaminated cat feces traces and dust from the cat litter entering the air every time someone opens the garbage can.
- Dig deeper into the ingredients and do your research. Just because a cat litter states it’s environmentally friendly, this doesn’t mean it’s biodegradable. Ensure it’s safe to compost before doing so.
- Avoid composting your cat litter in an edible garden. Even if you remove feces from the litter before disposing of, trace particles of toxoplasmosis could remain. Toxoplasmosis can survive in the soil for roughly two years. Even beyond that, the ammonia in cat urine will likely burn your plants.
- Do not dump your cat litter outside. While it may be convenient, it’s terrible for the environment. Other animals could track through the used cat litter, or ingest it, causing potential illness and infection.
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You Can Make Homemade Cat Litter From Wheat
Apparently, expensive wheat-based cat litter is just coarse ground wheat. I found a great homemade cat litter solution by Mellow DeTray at A Life Unprocessed. She wanted a sustainable, healthy cat litter option for her new kitten and tested an expensive wheat-based litter. In her words, Imagine my surprise when I dumped it into his freshly washed litter pan to discover that this expensive wheat kitty litter is literally just a bag of coarsely ground wheat. No magic ingredients. It wasnt even organic.
Her solution?
She uses a grain grinder and wheat berries. Thats it! Just set the grinder to a coarse setting, grind up some berries and drop it in the pan. As she observed, I have found that the finer I grind the wheat, the better it clumps, but you dont want it to be as fine as flour because that would be a bit dusty to have around. I try for a coarse meal, but the exact grind doesnt matter too much.
You can find whole wheat berries at bulk foods stores ! An electric wheat grinder will set you back quite a bit, but the hand-turned wheat grinders are actually very affordable. , but it may be more affordable to check your local Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp or other local seller marketplaces for a used one.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Cat Litter Alternatives
With no shortage of commercial cat litter options available for purchase, you may be wondering what the benefits of an alternative are. Well, as it turns out, there are more pros to cat litter alternatives than you may be aware of, and here are just a few of our favorites that may help convert you:
- Better health: When you choose your own cat litter, you know exactly whats going into it, which isnt always the case with store-bought litters. Many clay-based formulas contain harmful carcinogens that can become airborne in the dust that clay releases. For any human or cat with allergies or asthma, opting for an alternative can be a great way of making sure the whole family stays healthy.
- Wallet-friendly: Making your own homemade cat litter may require a little more time and effort, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Alternative DIY litters are more cost-effective and many of the materials can be bought in bulk, so its great if youre on a budget.
- Kinder on the environment: The clay that goes into your traditional commercial clay-based litters is obtained through strip mining, a process that destroys our forests and wildlife habitats. Even litters that are safe to flush can end up contaminating waterways.
Now that you know how cat litter alternatives can improve your health, save you money, and protect the environment, lets have a dig around our seven favorite options so you can find the one that works best for you.
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Changing The Way Your Cat Feels
If your cat associates her litter box with unpleasant things, you can work to help her develop new and pleasant associations. Cats cant be forced to enjoy something, and trying to show your cat that her litter box is safe by placing her in the box will likely backfire and increase her dislike of the box. Its usually not a good idea to try to train your cat to use her litter box by offering her treats like you would a dog, because many cats do not like attention while theyre eliminating. However, a professional animal behavior consultant, such as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist may be able to help you design a successful retraining or counterconditioning program. Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, for information about locating an applied animal behavior professional.
Sometimes retraining to overcome litter-box fears or aversions may not be necessary. Here are some steps that you can try to help your cat learn new pleasant associations:
Treatment for Household Stress
Treatment for Multi-Cat Household Conflict
Medications
Always consult with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist before giving your cat any type of medication for a behavior problem.