What is the Most Eco-friendly Cat Litter?

Is it possible to be eco-friendly with cat litter? We, as cat providers, go through a huge quantity of kitty litter through the years. Every time I dumped used litter, I felt guilty about the waste I was directing to the landfill. I knew it wasn’t biodegradable. Cat litter is made of clay, and can be a bit tricky to deal with. But it can still be dealt with sustainably. Let’s get into the details of cat litter and find out what is the most eco-friendly cat litter in the market (or elsewhere;)). 

If you don’t have time for the backstory and just want to get your hands on some eco-friendly cat litter, then we suggest the World’s Best Cat Litter. It’s plant-based, biodegradable, renewable, and quite perfect!

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The Origins of Cat Litter

Have you ever wondered what indoor cats used before sterile clay balls and plastic litter boxes were invented? I imagine it was perhaps a wooden box filled with coarse sand brought in from the outside. It turns out I’m not very wrong. 

In the 19th century, as cars became more popular, and life for the beloved cats became more unsafe outdoors, they began to be kept indo   ors, and the problem of the litter box came into existence. Before clay litter began to be used for cats, people used sand, sawdust, dirt and ashes, probably trying to recreate the outside world where cats generally did their business. It was only in the 1940s that clay was used for cat litter, and that too by chance. Edward Lowe, who had a business selling clay, sawdust and sand, helped his neighbor out by offering granulated clay for her litter box (she had actually wanted sand, but it was a cold winter and the sand in his possession was frozen solid). It worked wonderfully, clumping in the presence of moisture, and even deodorized the smell – a fantastic, unexpected win for an indoor cat bathroom. 

Since the commercialization of Edward Lowe’s granulated clay litter, a host of other types of cat litter have popped up in the market. Some, such as crystal cat litter, have been much more processed and unsuitable for the environment, and some, such as recycled newspaper litter, have been less. It’s important to know why some cat litters are more harmful to the environment than others, so let’s find out.

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The Environmental Problem with Regular Cat Litter

Where does clay cat litter come from? Granulated cat litter starts with first being mined from the earth’s surface. It involves strip mining (a mining process in which the soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed, or stripped) and raw bentonite clay is extracted from the earth, loaded onto trucks and sent to the processing centers. 

Strip Mining

Now, strip mining not only turns the landscape into an ugly sight, but, more importantly, it leads to topsoil erosion, destruction of forests, landscapes and wildlife habitats – often in hilly and mountainous regions. It loosens the soil that gets channeled via streams into our waterways, thus carrying dangerous mining sediments into water bodies, affecting all lifeforms. 

Strip mining also produces a lot of noise pollution and dust pollution, to add to the mess. 

About two million tons of clay is mined in the US every year, the vast majority in Wyoming. 

Fuel Consumption

The processing of bentonite clay is also not eco-friendly, starting with the fuel consumption and carbon emissions associated with transporting millions of tons of raw material, and including the energy costs of processing the clay into granules (which involves baking at very high temperatures, crushing into smaller granules, and then cooling). Then, of course, the finished product is packaged (in plastic) and shipped across the world for retail sales.

Non-biodegradable

Of course, the whole life cycle ends with the clay granules in the landfill. Cat litter clay is not biodegradable. I used to scoop up used cat litter into garbage bags and toss them into the bin, but then I switched to wrapping it in newspaper. But that wasn’t enough, because the clay is not biodegradable. Imagine all the clay cat litter you’ve thrown away – all ending up in the landfill and just…sitting there. Forever. 

Non-compostable

You can’t even compost it (PSA: do not add your kitty waste to your compost if you’re planning to use the compost on edible plants. Cat poop contains too much nitrogen, plus if your cat happens to be infected with Toxoplasma gondii, it could spread to you and cause toxoplasmosis).  

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Is Crystal Cat Litter Eco-friendly?

Crystal cat litter is also bad for the environment. It’s made from silica, is strip mined in a similarly destructive way to clay, and is often shipped across large distances from the mining location to the processing location and so on. 

Also, crystalline silica dust, a common ingredient in most clumping litters, is a known carcinogen for both humans and animals when inhaled. Cats can develop silicosis from inhaling microscopic silica dust. Also, if you notice, a lot of crystal litter is dyed blue. This is done using cobalt chloride, which is a known carcinogen. 

Crystal cat litter is used because it’s extremely absorbent, but the environmental and health drawbacks of this product far outweigh any advantage. 

All of this seems like a lot of unnecessary effort for something that can be reproduced very easily, locally, and, most importantly, in an eco-friendly manner.

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What is the Most Eco-friendly Cat Litter You Can Buy?

If you’re lazy like me, you can just buy awesome eco-friendly cat litter from any of the following companies. They understand the need to be eco-friendly, not just for the environment but also for your cat’s (and your) health. They’re safe, natural (no added fragrances), and are low-maintenance. And free of silica dust.

1 // Arm & Hammer Litter Naturals Scented Clumping Corn Cat Litter | Made from natural corn fiber

Price: $16.79 (18-lb)

This is a low-dust, lightweight formula made with a proprietary blend of natural corn fiber, a plant-based clumping agent, mineral oil and baking soda. It absorbs up to twice as much liquid as clay litter. The low-dust aspect is particularly attractive!

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2 // Happy Cat All-Natural Kitty Litter | Made from natural organic zeolite

Price: $23.98 (25-lb)

Happy Cat Litter is made from zeolite, an organic mineral with non-clumping formulation that absorbs 60% of its weight in liquid. Very good at eliminating odors. 

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3 // Naturally Fresh | Made from walnut shells

Price: $21.99 (26-lb)

This litter is made from the fibrous material in walnut shells. It’s odor-absorbing, quick-clumping, and has low dust and low tracking. Plus, it’s biodegradable, compostable, and annually renewable. 

Check out Naturally Fresh’s various litter options. 

(Similarly, CatSpot has organic cat litter made from coconut coir – check them out!)

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4 // Okocat Super Soft Clumping Cat Litter | Made from wood fiber 

Price: $15.70 (11.2-lb)

This cat litter is made from responsibly sourced wood fiber. The litter has high absorbency and is odor-eliminating. 

This litter is flushable, but don’t flush used litter down your toilet, please (the litter itself may be flushable, but your cat’s poop is still not. Water treatment plants are not equipped to process the bacteria and pathogens found in cat poop). And, of course, it’s biodegradable. And they guarantee that the formula is free from toxic dyes, fragrances, and GMOs.

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5 // Purina’s Yesterday’s News Cat Litter | Made from recycled newspaper

Price: $19.99 (30-lb)

Yesterday’s News Cat Litter is, aside from its brilliant name, a wonderful option for biodegradable cat litter. It’s made from old newspapers and cardboard taken from landfills. It is 99.9% dust-free and has excellent odor control.

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6 // So Phresh Extreme Clumping Cat Litter | Made from grass seed

Price: $27.99 (20-lb)

Grass seed cat litter! So I thought there could be no clumping without clay, but I was wrong. Thanks to Phresh Cat Litter’s grass seed formula, we have unscented, renewable, biodegradable, dust-free litter that clumps and is actually even lighter than clay. 

Don’t worry, the seeds won’t sprout in your cat’s litter box. The seeds have been heat-treated for exactly that reason.  

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7 // World’s Best Cat Litter | Made from whole-kernel corn

Price: $26.95 (28-lb)

This litter is made from whole-kernel corn, which makes it sustainable, biodegradable and renewable. There are no added chemicals, and the litter has a natural scent with good odor control. Plus, they have an awesome website with loads of useful information about kitty litter, including tips and advice on how you can switch your litter brand without upsetting your cat. 

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

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I had wanted to include Tofu Kitty in this list, but their website says they’re closing “on April 30th.” I don’t know if they’re shutting down their business, but if they are that would be very sad. A brief bit of Googling did not help me with any further info, so I’m just leaving them off the list for now. 

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Make Your Own Eco-friendly Cat Litter – DIY Cat Litter

Once upon a time, a few years ago, there was a storm in my city, and the stores were closed for a while. I was stuck without cat litter. I improvised and made kitty litter using strips of old newspaper and some dry soil. My cat may have felt weird about it, I don’t know, but she didn’t complain to me. She didn’t refuse to use it. However, I only used it for four days, and then bought kitty litter from the store as soon as I could. I didn’t think about continuing with the newspaper because it was a chore to clean up, and it got pretty stinky. 

What can we use in place of cat litter? We can DIY cat litter using shredded newspaper and cardboard, wood chippings, sawdust, sand, and other similar materials (including chicken feed and baking soda!). Your cat needs to be open to experimentation, and so do you. It can be cumbersome to make, but not much more so than any other homemade alternative. Try it out, and if it doesn’t work out, just buy eco-friendly cat litter from one of the options mentioned above. 

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Eco-friendly Litter Disposal

Many of the eco-friendly litter brands say it’s ok to flush it down the toilet, but please don’t actually do that. Water treatment plants are generally not equipped to process the bacteria and pathogens found in cat poop and pee.

So, what is the best way to dispose of used cat litter? The best thing to do, apart from using eco-friendly litter to begin with, is to scoop the soiled litter into a biodegradable bag (or wrapped newspaper) and toss it into your garbage. The litter is biodegradable and so is the bag, so no matter where this ends up – whether in a landfill or elsewhere –  it’s going to biodegrade safely into the environment. 

If you’re an experienced composter, there’s a composting option for you. But it involves being very careful and discerning, which is why you need to have a good grasp of composting in order to try this out.

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Eco-friendly Litter Box for your Cat

Most litter boxes are made of plastic. It’s convenient and cheap. But obviously it’s also terrible for the environment. Is there an eco-friendly cat litter tray? These are the options for our cats:

1 // Steel litter boxes 

Boxes made of stainless steel can last forever (provided your cat likes it, of course). If you think your cat finds the steel too cold to the touch, you can get eco-friendly cat litter liners to help make the whole situation more comfortable for your cat (and you, for easier disposal of the used litter).  

2 // Bamboo litter boxes

UK brand Beco Pets makes litter boxes with bamboo, cornstarch and rice husks. It’s eco-friendly and will last for years.  

3 // Kitty Sift Eco-Friendly Sifting Cat Litter Box 

This litter box is plastic-free and made from biodegradable recycled cardboard material. It looks really easy to use, safe and eco-friendly. 

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

Sustainable Litter Scoop

What about the litter scoop? Any litter scoop alternatives to the plastic ones? Of course – like this steel and rubber scoop. 

Note: Don’t go out immediately and buy a new litter box and scoop. Do it when you need to replace your current litter box set-up, so you don’t end up just buying for the sake of buying. Buy sustainably, and only when you NEED to.  

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How To Maintain Your Cat’s Litter Box (To Her and Your Satisfaction)

Cleaning out the cat’s litter box is not number one of anyone’s favorite activities. But, with some care and discipline, you can make it less of a chore while keeping your cat very happy. Here’s the best schedule for cleaning out your cat’s litter box:

1 // Scoop out the litter daily if not twice a day.

You know your cat’s daily pooping and peeing routine. Scoop out the litter box accordingly. 

Note: Remember to be careful while handling cat litter. Not only does it have excessive ammonia, which you shouldn’t breathe in, but skin contact with the germs in the litter is not ideal. Wear gloves if you need to, and a mask as well, especially if you’re living in a small apartment and the box is in a closed off bathroom or storage room (and especially if you’re pregnant!). The best scenario, though, is to keep the litter box in an area with a lot of good ventilation. And wash your hands thoroughly after handling soiled cat litter.

2 // Add in more fresh litter regularly

You’ll know you need to add in fresh litter when your cat stops covering her poop and leaves the stinking pile for you to find. She probably couldn’t find enough litter to push over her offerings. Help her out by adding more fresh litter!

3 // Empty out old litter and replace with fresh litter every week

Throw away last week’s litter and completely replace it with new litter – remember to spread it out up to a height of two inches. 

4 // Wash the litter box every week

Use mild detergent and an old rag to clean and wipe the litter box. Do this once a week, ideally. Add two drops of vinegar to the detergent solution; this will help kill harmful microorganisms. Also, to deodorize the box, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda on the box bottom before you fill it with litter.

Make these a habit and your cat will be very happy. We’re the ones making our cats live indoors. The least we can do is make sure they have clean and hygienic places to poop and pee in peace. 

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THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

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