Going green, recycling and getting rid of cat litter?

Question

I am working on doing a little bit each week to help out with the Global Effort. My question is this: I have a cat and when I clean out her litter, I use a used grocery plastic bag. Is there a better way that is more "Green" . I live in an apartment and it is so quick to grab a bad and clean out the litter box. Any suggestions that are more environment friendly?

Answer 1

Swheat Scoop is a great flushable alternative to regular kitty litter.  It is granular, like regular litter, but is made out of non-food grade wheat leftovers.  You can find it at places like Petco and PetSmart, but you can usually get it for cheaper at Target.  Local cat stores will also usually carry it, if you're not a fan of shopping at big box stores (which I am not).  Scoop out your cat box daily, let it sit in the toilet while you're getting ready, and flush after about 20 minutes!

Answer 2

Please check the following link before flushing your cat litter.  If I am not mistaken most sewage treatment plants do not filter/kill this parasite.  There are many more stories such as this with regards to fish and other sea life dying from this parasite.

http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?...

Based on that I wouldn't want it in my compost pile either.

Answer 3

Get a biodegradable litter, in the grand scheme of things you have to decide which one you "stand" behind; some are flush-able, some really aren't. Read the packaging carefully.

I'm currently working on the task of de-bagging my world, but, like you, I often reach for one as a trash bag.

Luckily, I have a compost bin, though, and I can take the bag out and, I know it's gross, but, empty the bag and re-use it... I keep it in a bin with a lid for a week, then throw it out...

The clean bags get recycled.

They do make biodegradable bags (I have some for my kitchen compost). They're expensive, but you could line an ice cream bucket with them, snap on the lid and empty into that. Tie up the bag before trash-day and dump it (they make big trash bags from recycled plastic now, too, for the rest of your trash), or take it to a community compost bin and chuck bag and all.

Not the best solution, but it's a start.

Answer 4

they make recycled newpaper based cat litter, it is biodegradeable. If you have a friend who has a yard you can bury it in, Also many of these types are flushable. Which isn't bad if you don't let the cat box build up for too long.

Answer 5

I do have a great suggestion!  We use pine shavings, same as you use in horse stalls.  You can put the pine shavings in a paper bag, and put into the dumpster.  Both are environmentally friends and bio-degradable.  The cost of a BIG bag of shavings is about $4.00.  This one bag lasts for over 1 month for our kitty.  We use the shavings in the hen house and nest boxes too.  We have a farm, so I use the chicken used shavings to spread around the pasture as fertilizer.

Answer 6

You can buy like cat litter bags that you  put down and them but the cat litter in when shes done her stuf lol tie it up and thrw it away

Answer 7

If you have a large plastic bucket with a lid, I.E. what litter can come in or even what detergents can come in, you can keep your "scoopings" in it with the lid on until trash day, then empty it into your trash bag, since it's going out anyway. Good luck, and good job on helping preserve our planet!

Answer 8

Depends on where you live. I have a cat but I live in the country. Composting is good but not in your garden compost.

Cat litter has clay in it and it is not good to flush it down the tiolet if you have a septic tank. I take it and bury it in the back woods where it can decompose on its own. Paper bags are better than plastic. You can put the old litter back in the bag it came from and puy it in the trash can, out side of course.

Answer 9

find someone who has a compost bin.

Answer 10

dont flush unless it really is 'flushable' stuff, you will clag up the sewage system otherwise!

oh ctd, the toxoplasmosis yes i have had that.  i had no idea it kills otters!

its caused by an amaoeba so presumably, like with cryptosporidiosis, the oocysts survive most sewage treatment processes. reverse osmosis should take it out but most places dont do that.

this is interesting;

'The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled parasite, accounts for some cultural differences'

http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2006/08...

yes, dont flush!!!!!

Answer 11

Kay-Kob Bedding & LitterKaytee Kay-Kob is a natural

corn cob product, ideal as a bedding and litter for birds

and small animals.  Haven't tried it yet, but flushing cat

p**p is what I do. Pine wood shavings works and can

be composted.