http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-dangers-of-clumping-cat-litter.html
The Dangers of Clumping Cat Litter
Adapted from Why is Cancer Killing Our Pets? by Deborah Straw (Inner Traditions, 2000).
Clumping cat litters hold great appeal for cat-lovers because they are so convenient. But what many pet-owners don’t realize is that two ingredients in most clumping cat litters have been implicated in diseases and even the deaths of many animals and humans.
Sodium bentonite is often added as a clumping agent to traditional cat litters to create the “scoopable” clay litters on the market. Sodium bentonite acts like an expandable cement, which is why these litters should not be flushed: they swell to 15 to 18 times their dry size and can be used as grouting, sealing, and plugging materials.
Cats often lick themselves after using the litter box, ingesting pieces of the litter. If litter gets inside them, it expands just as it does in the plumbing.
Also, the dust from such litters can coat our cats’ lungs, leading to respiratory problems. The Hennepin Center for Poison Control in Minnesota has reported instances of poisoning in humans from chronic ingestion of sodium bentonite, so just imagine what effect it can have on our kitties!
Quartz silica (sand), the other ingredient in most clumping litters, is a known carcinogen for both humans and household pets when inhaled.
Switch your cat litter to one made from a plant-based material, better for your pet and for the environment. There are many commercially-available products using compacted pine shavings, cedar, newspaper, or corn cobs that make healthier alternatives.
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31 comments
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why is this inappropriate?
And it's stripped mined. i use pine
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After years of experience caring for cats and with my own, I am convincd that the 2 litters I combine are the healthiest and also keep the smells away naturally.
I mix 'Nature's Miracle' which is an ALL NATURAL with NO clay clumping litter and it also is flushable and eco friendly. IT is made from gentle corn cob & is 99.9% dust free. It contains natural enzymes & Natural wonderful fragrances.
I mix it with feline pine scoopable..which gives the litter just the right texture.
This also is eco friendly, flushable and all natural.
My cats love what I use as do my clients when I suggest this combination.
I stopped using the wheat litter because it is too sticky and stinky,and I prefer these 2 compared to 'World's Best'.
Naever EVER use clay litters as they contain silica dust which is a cancer causing carcinigen, dangerous for both you and your cats and also sodium benotite which can cause blockages in kittie's organs, possibly accumulating till it it too late!!
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One more note about litter, some of the pine or cedar based litters can be an irritant to your pets airway or eyes. If your pet has this problem be suspicious of the litter and give another one a try before you have a huge vet bill.
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I'd like to add a comment about litter. I used to use the clay based litter but soon realized that it was not a healthy choice for me or my pets. I have for quite a few years now been using a litter made of ground corn cobs. I buy it at my Independent Grocer. It is their Green line of products. It is twice as absorbent as other litters and is flushable. The tracking is minimal. There is no dust to clog my cats airways or mine. I have 6 cats now ---all indoors and there have been no "accidents" outside the boxes. Other than been met at the door by at least one of my cats when you enter the house, you would not know that I have any at all. The litter is pretty much odorless and I keep the boxes scooped out so there is no odor from them. Please try the corn cob litter and see for yourself how good it is.
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I moved, was gone a lot. My cat got stressed and ate the clumping liter(as they do dirt)--never in front of me. Took him to vet, said he had infection, found out when I came home he was dead on the floor with gray coming from his poor little mouth
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why is this inappropriate?
Personally we have had tremendous success using Feline Pine, it is made from pine(plant based, therefore eco-friendly)it is also flushable plus it controls odor to the point that(in most cases depending on the cat)visitors won't even know you have a cat or cats depending.
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I'd love to switch to a more cat friendly-environmentally friendly cat litter but don't know where to find it. We do not shop at Wal*Mart, PetCo, or any chain pet store. Clumping litter smells, even the unscented has a clingy perfumy smell I can't stand.
I've heard both positive and negative things about feline pine and world's best cat litter. Our feral rescued kitten has been a litter box natural since we took her home at almost 5 weeks old. I'd hate to change litter and have her be confused. But, it would be nice to have litter that I can 'compost' in the woods.
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I think Feline Pine is the best litter around. Controls odor so absolutely that you never smell anything. Unfortunately my cats, after using it for years, stopped wanting to use it -- and I mean one pooped on the rugs outside it and the other peed on the bed... only in the place where I would lay, especially my head.
I now use SwheatScoop and it was amazing how quickly they took to it. No more peeing on my pillow.
One caution though... even though the bag says it's flushable, California has taken it off the flushable list and I can understand why, some of those clumps with the urine in them are rock hard.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this article. Buzz tried to tell us there was something wrong with the litter, even resorted to peeing on a carpet. Being a Maine cat the litter was sticking to his long fuzzy hair and he did not like cleaning himself. After seeing this article I introduced the pine pellet litter, which he transitioned to very quickly. Love this litter no dust and a clean/sweet smelling kitty, even his coat is looking better. Buzz now makes a point to show us every evening he is taking a bath. I feel so back that it took me so long to figure out the problem.
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