Let's talk cat litter!

OK, so it's been a while since I last blogged. And could I have picked a stranger subject? Doubtful. Truth is, I didn't know much about cat litter. We carry some of the stuff in the store but, to be honest, it doesn't move much. I began to wonder why. Well, if I'm not mistake, it's all about price and the fear of change. I would like to put forth that more needs to be added to the equation. You see, sometimes cheap, while easy, is a horrible way to go. And I do mean horrible.

Clay is the standard bearer when it comes to cat litter. It is cheap (for now) and available everywhere. You can't swing a cat (oops, very un-PC) without hitting a store that sells clay cat litter. It's like diapers...in more way than one. Or you can have bentonite clay. Bentonite allows the clay cat litter to become clumping clay cat litter. The problems with clay cat litters are many: first of all, the mining process is wicked bad for the earth. Most of the clay is strip mined down to a level of about fifty feet. Now I'm no geologist but strip mining a naturally occurring mineral that obviously plays some part in our natural aquaphere strikes me as a total "we should re-think this" moment. But then again, it's cheap. And we know that regardless of the implications, cheap always wins in the short run. You also have to look at what is happening to our landfills as tons and tons and tons of this clay is added. Think about it, you add huge amounts of the bentonite clay, now the most popular clay litter, into a land fill and then add liquid. You get plates of solid clay where water will no longer flow. This stops any chance of natural decomposition and/or forces liquid to pool and then fester. Ugh! Do we really need rotting trash lakes whose secondary ingredient is cat poop? Really, is this a good idea?

Are there alternatives, yes. There are a variety of alternatives: each offering a different take on being better for mother earth. Problem is, and let's say this together, they are more expensive. Add to that the whole "cats hate change almost as much as they hate baths" and you get a buying public who is loath to try something different in the litter box...even if it is a good idea. And I am certainly not one to judge. John's brother drives, among other things, a Prius. He let John and Russell drive it on their last visit. John was fascinated by the whole package. Russell on the other hand hated the brakes. They felt different as they serve a dual purpose for the Prius. One is braking, the other is recharging the batteries. This dual purpose makes them "feel" different than ordinary brakes. Russell would be a difficult sell. That is change. Everyone hates change. Make it change that has a price tag and you really get avoidance. But sometimes change can be for the greater good. Having a car that gets 40+ mpg in the city of Chicago may out-way funny feeling brakes when it comes time to trade in our SUV. Having great mpg may also out-weigh a steep price tag but that's also an individual calculation. Expensive, funny feeling brakes may lead to out and out avoidance or it may add up to a very popular car. If you'll pardon the pun, a lot of people get a lot of mileage out of driving a car that screams, "I'm saving the planet!" So, let's just say that clay cat litter is the SUV in this story. Is the world ready to trade in their comfortable SUV for something better for the earth even if it is different and pricey? Pros and cons to weigh: will mother earth win out. This, like dog food, is what you choose to inflict on your pet. It's not like we get a choice. What follows is pretty broad. After all, you need to do some of the work yourself.

How about something made of newspaper? Granted birds have been pooping on newspaper for eons but cats? What are we talking about here, a cup of coffee and the Wall Street Journal in the morning? Well, not quite. The newspapers are processed into pellets that are then used as cat litter. It has a soft touch for the cat and is totally biodegradable. You can toss it in your garden or composter. It also has a reputation as an odor controller. I wonder if the cats laugh at the parts made from the comics?

Or you could go to the silica/crystals direction. Basically, and I do mean basically, this stuff is sand. The idea behind it is "absorb and dry." And boy can this stuff absorb. It is actually so efficient it will petrify the solid waste from your cat. Sort of like some Stephen King movie. Now because this stuff is so good at the absorbing and drying, the cat waste really never gets a chance to begin decomposing and thus smelling. This gives you good odor control. If you do proper maintenance silica cat litter far outlasts clay thus making it comparable in price. Also, the waste is flushable and getting rid of the used litter means just mixing it into your garden. Sounds good right? Sort of...maybe? Silica is not particularly soft to the touch. As a matter of fact it can be kind of jagged. Cats can be sort of princess-like and they don't like pointy litter. You can get "softer" silica litter now but, these tend to roll all over the floor when the cat tracks the stuff out of the box. I know; bitch, bitch, bitch.

Finally, lets look at a group I'll call cellulose litter. This stuff is plant based so in the grand scheme of things, you grow it to use it. It can be grown for use or recycled. Pretty cool huh? Well, the price thing rears its ugly head again. Also, depending of the plant base, it may be interfering with the human food chain. For example it can be based on wheat, corn or soy bean. It is more expensive even when you toss in the use less, lasts longer equation. But, it is a better idea than clay in every way. It is so earth friendly that it needs to be a Super Hero. You can flush it, bury it or toss it into the compost pile. It can be "naturally" treated to clump, absorb more or give a nice wiff of pine when peed on. Perfect right? Well, even Jennifer Anniston has issues. Cats lead with their senses as we all do and some of this cellulose stuff smells like food: wheat, corn and/or soy bean. Cat's are smart. The don't usually poop in their food dish. Putting something in their litter box that smells like food is very confusing. Also, while it is soft to the touch, it feels different than clay litter. Cat's don't like change. And clay to wood is a big change.

Truth is, all of this represents change. Personally I think it is all a matter of perspective. I see change as fundamentally good. It keeps life fresh and interesting. I am not put off by change. You and your cat get to make that decision. I will tell you though, this whole clay thing needs to change. The mining is bad and the recycling is non-existant. Make a resolution for 2010 to try something earth friendly for the cat box. There are options available; you just need to be at peace with the change. Or you could just potty train your cat. Now that's change!