Choose biodegradable kitty litter

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Choose biodegradable kitty litter because it decomposes faster than clay-based litters whether you compost it or send it to the landfill. It also won't tax the environment with harmful strip mining production processes.

Find it! Biodegradable kitty litter

Nature's Earth Feline Pine

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Natural Earth's Feline Pine litter neutralizes odors without any harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, or silica dust and contains virtually dust-free pellets. After the biodegradable pellets have broken down, the entire box can be emptied into a compost or mulching pile.

Nature's Miracle Odor Control Clumping Cat Litter

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This all-natural, corn-based formula is blended with quality ingredients to achieve superior clumping for easy disposal. With a natural enzyme "Triple Action" odor control system, this litter has highly absorbent odor control and long-lasting natural fragrance.

Purina Yesterday's News litter

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Does Mr. Whiskers like to read in the bathroom? Yesterday's News from Purina is a flushable, biodegradable, super-absorbent, odor-busting litter consisting of pellets made from recycled newspapers (don't fret, newspaper inks and dyes are commonly soy-based and/or organic, not chemical).

Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter

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Sweet relief! Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter is free of clay, chemicals, fragrances, and is biodegradable. Swheat also makes litter for smaller furry and feathered flatmates like ferrets, birds, and bunnies.

World's Best Cat Litter

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This corn-based litter has highly absorbent proteins and fibers found naturally in corn that bind cat urine and odor molecules in the litter. The result is a biodegradable and natural cat litter that clumps better and controls odors without the need for perfumes and scents.

Before you buy

Some of the litters listed specify that their products are made from post-consumer waste (Yesterday's News) or reclaimed products (Feline Pine). For the others, it is unclear whether they are manufactured with byproducts (i.e. using "waste" from one process to make something useful). The main differences between kitty litter alternatives have to do with clumping ability and odor absorption. Some cats can exhibit feline fussiness when it comes to litter, but many of the sites include tips on how to "acclimate" your cat to the change. You might have to engage in some trial and error before you reach a happy medium for both you and Fluffy.

Choosing biodegradable kitty litter helps you go green because...

It will not accumulate in landfills taking decades to decompose, like clay-based litters do.
It is not unsustainably strip mined, which takes a heavy toll on the environment.[1]

In the United States alone, there are approximately 88.3 million cats kept as pets in households across the country.[2] As a result, more than 2 million tons of kitty litter is dumped in landfills each year[3], the weight of five Empire State Buildings.

Related health issues

Clay-based litter is usually made of bentonite or attapulgite/montmorillonite which is mined in unsustainable ways. This litter is also known to contain silica dust. Although it has not been shown to directly cause problems in cats, studies have found that cats with respiratory illnesses have six times the amount of silica in their lungs than do healthy cats.[4] Alternative kitty litters that are more eco-friendly and contain biodegradable ingredients, such as corn cobs or wheat, eliminate this health risk, as well as lighten the burden clay-based litters have on landfills.[5] People with wheat allergies should avoid wheat-based litters due to the possibility of an allergic reaction.

Glossary

silica: Silica, found in common minerals like quartz, sand, and agate, is naturally occurring, ubiquitous, and chemically unreactive in the environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found no evidence that it presents a hazard to nontarget organisms or the environment.[6] However, studies have found that workplace exposure to silica dust can cause silicosis, a progressive lung disease which may result in lung cancer in humans.[7]

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