Cat litter
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Cat litter (often called kitty litter) is one of any of a number of materials used in litter boxes to absorb moisture from cat feces and urine, which reduces foul odors such as ammonia and renders them more tolerable within the home.
Several kinds of cat litter are commercially available, enabling consumers to decide which factors are most important. Some cat owners are concerned about litter being tracked throughout the house, while others may look for litters that are biodegradable. Absorbency, odor control, texture, safety and cost are other considerations.
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[edit] Non-clumping conventional litter
One of the first commercially available cat litters was Kitty Litter, available in 1948 and marketed by Ed Lowe. This was the first large scale use of clay in litter boxes; previously sand was used. Clay litter is much more absorbent than sand, and its larger grain makes it less likely to be tracked from the litter box. The brand name Kitty Litter has become a genericized trademark, used by many to denote any type of cat litter.
Conventional clay litter is indistinguishable from clay-based oil absorbent (used to clean oil spills); as the latter is far less expensive, it is often used as a substitute. Non-clumping cat litter is often made of zeolite, diatomite and sepiolite.
[edit] Clumping litter
Litter clumps were first developed in the UK in the 1950s by the Fuller's Earth Union, later to become a part of Laporte Industries Ltd. The type of clumping litter developed by the FEU was calcium bentonite, a less swelling and less sticky type than American bentonite. Subsequently in America, clumping bentonite was developed in 1984 by biochemist Thomas Nelson. Most are made from granulated bentonite clay which clumps together when wet and forms a solid mass separate from the other litter in the box. This solid clumped material can be scooped out and disposed of without changing the entire contents of the litter box.
Approximately 69% of the cat litter market consists of clumping litter. Clumping litter usually also contains quartz or diatomaceous earth (sometimes called diatomaceous silica, which causes it to be mistakenly confused with silica gel litter). Because of the clumping effect, it is not recommended[by whom?] to flush clumping litters down the toilet. The top two clumping litters in the United States according to sales data are Fresh Step and Tidy Cats.
In recent years,[vague] there are increasing claims that clumping litter can be harmful to pets because if it is ingested or inhaled, it swells and solidifies inside them.[1] This is thought[by whom?] to be particularly dangerous for kittens, who are more likely to ingest cat litter and less likely to recover easily. However, other than anecdotal testimonial, there has been little evidence for the claim, and no confirmed cases in the scientific literature.[1]
Clumping clay cat litters also contain crystalline silica, or silica dust, which in California treated as a known carcinogen under Proposition 65.[2] It has been proven to not be of a significant risk to humans,[citation needed] but there are no studies to show (nor regulations governing) the effect of silica dust on cats. Clay litter has also come under scrutiny[by whom?] due to the fact that the clay used in its production is commonly strip-mined in an environment-degrading process.[3]
[edit] Biodegradable litter
Biodegradable litters are made from various plant resources, including pine wood pellets, recycled newspaper, clumping sawdust, barley, and dried orange peel. The top two natural litters in the United States according to sales data are Feline Pine and World's Best.
Each year, over 2 million tons of cat litter, or approximately 100,000 truckloads, ends up in landfills in the U.S. alone. Primarily this is not biodegradable or renewable and adds unnecessarily to the waste burden.[4] Some pet owners prefer biodegradable litters due to its friendliness to the environment. Biodegradable cat litter can also be eliminated completely by safely composting the used litter at home. Other cat owners are attracted to the biodegradable litters because of their flushability or superior deodorizing properties.[5] The natural litters are non-carcinogenic. Asthmatic cats may sometimes benefit from the reduced dust in some forms of biodegradable litter.
Biodegradable litter packaged specifically for cats tends to be more expensive than traditional clay litters, so cost is often not a positive factor in their selection. But most biodegradable litters last longer than the equivalent size of clay or clumping clay litters. Grain-based animal or poultry feed also provides an economical alternative to products marketed specifically as cat litter. Also, most of these forms of litter are recycled from human usage and are thus re-using a waste product as opposed to drawing clay from mines.
[edit] Silica gel litter
Silica gel litter, a porous granular form of sodium silicate, has the highest absorbency of any litter, and has excellent moisture and odor control. Cat lovers' opinions about crystal cat litter are divided.
Some praise its absorbency because 4–5 lb (2 kg) can absorb liquid and odor for up to 30 days for one healthy normal weight cat. Stir it daily when scooping the solid waste, otherwise urine can pool in the box. When crystal litter is saturated, at the end of 30 days or so, it begins to smell and is visibly saturated. In comparison, over the same time period it may take 20–30 lb (9–14 kg)[citation needed] or more of clay or clumping litter, because you have to replenish the litter that is removed when the clumped urine is scooped out.
Others dislike that crystal litter gives them no warning when it is saturated; the next cat to use the litter box will leave a urine puddle at the bottom of the pan. Crystal litter is extremely lightweight, especially when compared to heavier clay and clumping litter.
Silica gel litter comes in two shapes: irregular lumps and small beads. Sizes range from 0.5 mm to 4 mm.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Cat Litter - To Scoop or Not to Scoop: The Clumping Clay Controversy". http://cats.about.com/cs/litterbox/a/clumpingclay.htm. Retrieved on 30 November.
- ^ "1999 Prop 65 Regulatory Update". http://www.calprop65.com/99regs.html. Retrieved on 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Cat litter and strip mining". http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/50/1/Cat-litter-and-strip-mining.html. Retrieved on 30 November 2008.
- ^ Judd Alexander, In Defense of Garbage, Praeger 1993.
- ^ "Tackling the carbon pawprint". http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/sep/23/practicaladvice.ethicalliving. Retrieved on 30 November 2008.
