Ask
Hana Haatainen Caye
Geena writes: I heard clay cat litter is bad, not
only for the environment, but for my cats as well.
Do you recommend a greener and healthier option that actually works?
GG: What you heard is correct, Geena. As a matter
of fact, we suspect three of our cats died due to the
use of clay litter. The culprit is the sodium bentonite
in clay litter, as the dust from this toxin can expand
in a cat’s lungs, which can cause breathing problems. Additionally, cats tend to ingest a bit of the
clay from their paws as they groom themselves. This
can cause a variety of issues, including tumors, IBS,
vomiting, depressed immune systems, and intestinal blockage. The litter can cause this blockage as it
expands in the intestines, resulting in dehydration
and malnutrition. The ASPCA recommends against
clumping clay litter.
When silica-based litters are used, cats sometimes
develop a form of pulmonary tuberculosis (silicotuberculosis), which is fatal. Additionally, when sodium silicate is inhaled by humans, the dangers are
very real. Bronchitis, lung cancer, and silicotuberculosis have all been linked to inhalation of the dust of
this kind of litter. The addition of chemically-based
fragrance leads to even more concerns.
Over 2.5 million tons of clay is strip mined every
year, with 85% used for absorption of pet waste,
according to the U.S. Geological Society. Keep in
mind that clay litter never biodegrades. Therefore,
every bag of clay litter thrown into the landfills,
remains in the landfills forever.
Of course, I’m not going to give you all of the bad
news without offering some better alternatives.
There are a variety of cat litters that are safer for the
environment, your pets, and you.
• The World’s Best Cat Litter – my favorite. This
corn-based litter absorbs and traps ammonia, so
odor simply isn’t much of an issue. I appreciate
the lack of litter tracked through the house.
• Swheat Scoop – This is made from processed
non-food grade wheat. It has a soft texture
which works well for sensitive paws. What I
didn’t like about Swheat Scoop was the little
grains of evidence scattered throughout the
house, indicating that my cats had used the box.
• Feline Pine uses pine sawdust. The sawdust is
sterilized, which makes it the perfect choice following any kind of surgery. It is dust-free, but I
found it tracked through the house.
• Yesterday’s News is one of the best environmental choices, as it’s made from recycled newspaper. Brilliant! While I’ve not tried it with my cats,
I hear it is kind to kitty’s tender paw pads and it
does not cling to their feet or furry behinds.
I recommend trying the above types of litter to determine what works best for your family. While the
litters may claim to be compostable and flushable,
flushing can lead to serious health threats to marine life, as the Toxoplasmosis gondii (TG) parasite
is often found in cat feces. Most water treatment
plants do not filter this out, which means it heads
into the water and can be deadly, especially to sea
otters. This is simply not a good option. Composting should only be done if the composted soil is not
used to grow food. Period. When tossing into the
trash, as always, using a compostable bag is your
best option.
Hana Haatainen Caye, is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author of the book Vinegar Fridays, who
shares her passion for common sense greener and healthier living.
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