Don't Litter?

When you have three cats, you can't help but litter! The problem with traditional cat litter, however, is that it is strip mined and not biodegradable.

Here are a few alternative brands that are made from environmentally friendly products or bi-products:

• Swheat Scoop, made from naturally processed, secondary (non-food grade) wheat
• Feline Pine, made from pine shavings reclaimed from lumber production
• World's Best Cat Litter, made from whole-kernel corn

These cat litters are significantly more expensive than regular clay brands, but they have more than just environmental benefits:

• They are not nearly as heavy as clay cat litter, which makes the task of going to the pet store in the middle of a snow storm a little more appealing.
• They are dust-free, which means cleaner air and no layer of gray dust on all of your furniture.
  
• They last longer (sometimes one to two weeks longer than clay litters), which means you don't have to clean out the litter box as often!
• They are healthier for your cats.
• Some can be flushed down the toilet, which means fewer trips to the garage or dumpster.
  

Now, to be fair, I haven't completely eliminated clay litters from my house, because I have one very picky cat who is quite vocal about which cat litters she will use. So I set out a litter box with clay litter in the space that she prefers, and use the alternative litters in areas where the other two cats feel most comfortable.

Note: When switching cat litters, be sure to mix the old litter with the new litter for a few weeks, until your cat gets used to the way the new litter smells and feels.