Flushable Cat Litter - Is it Safe?

We love our cats, but no one enjoys taking care of litter. It's one of the biggest chores an indoor cat owner faces, never mind the odor that never really goes away. I'm convinced that if aliens arrived tomorrow, they'd think pets were in charge given how much we fawn over them and take care of their every whims. Having a cat means taking out the trash way more often than one normally would, until some geniuses came up with, you guessed it, flushable cat litter! Litter you can dispose easily through the toilet. I can't believe it took this long. Since we can't toilet train our cats, this could be the next best thing. It sounds so convenient! Odor and waste eliminated in one fell swoop! Just scoop up, head to the toilet, dump and flush. But is it that easy? Make sure you do enough online research and check out a few brands before deciding one way or the other. Research is key!

If it didn't work like regular litter, picky cats wouldn't even use it, and it would be back to the drawing board. Lucky, the best flushable cat litter brands look, clump, and even feel like regular litter, just to make sure your cat will use it. New eco-friendly or natural cat litter can be safely flushed in small amounts, but in general it's not a great idea. The problem as always, with litter like this, is that it's different from the norm in texture and feel, and finicky cats may not go for it. What to do?

The question is, how to get your cat to use it? Here's what I did, I started mixing the two together - the best cat litter for my cat with a bit of the flushable stuff, just for a bit. Each week I'd up the mix on the flushable, lower on the regular. Eventually my cat was OK with the flushable, mission accomplished! I went with Premium Choice flushable litter, but it's really a matter of what your cat will accept. The biggest benefit I noticed was because I got rid of the waste immediately, no more lingering odor!

You're not saving the world by switching from disposable to flushable. Just because you're not filling up a landfill, you are using a lot more water, and risking septic damage from corrosive litter. They cost the same, if you do the full calculation (more expensive to start, but it'll last longer) but typically are lighter in texture.

Benefits of Flushable Cat Litter

Flushable cat litter can give you a quick and easy way to dispose of litter, but it isn't all roses and sugar. There's less smell than the regular clay material, and fewer trips to the trash, but there are reports that flushable litter will clog your drainage pipes, and no one likes a visit from the septic man. The truth is that it'll be your cat's decision - if she'll use the flushable stuff, give it a shot and see how much it impacts your life. One last tip, flush the toilet more than once, just in case. I'm unsure whether I'll transition back to regular cat litter or not, given the cost and total environmental impact of the process, but for now, I can't beat the fresher smell around my place. This can be a much cleaner way of keeping a cat, especially if your cat takes to it with a minimum of fuss. Who can predict these things?

For all those who love cats and have them at home, know the silent company that a pet offers. A cat is a clean and intelligent animal can be trained to poop in one place only. The litter box is what most cat owners have for urine or faeces for cats. Litter boxes are filled with an inch or more of cat litter since cats have an instinct to bury their faeces.

Conventional Cat Litter

The litter box is filled with granules like ammonia that absorb moisture and odours. Clay, paper pellets and silicon crystals are also used as conventional cat litter.

The first cat litter available in the market was Kitty Litter that was available in 1948. Clumping litter was launched in the 1950s, that forms a clump after the cat excretes on it. This can be scooped and thrown easily. Almost all cat litters available today are the clumping type. The owners are instructed not to flush this litter since it may clog the drain.

Flushable Cat Litter

Flushable cat litter on the other hand is more convenient to dispose and can be flushed down the toilet. They are lighter in texture and about the same cost as regular litter. If it is not available at a nearby pet store, it can be ordered online.

Their main advantage is that they are easy to get rid of, and the space around the cat is not smelly for a long time. It also is less messy.

A drawback of this kind of litter is that it is not so environmentally friendly. It dirties the water table and increases sewage. Dry trash thrown in the bin is more eco friendly.

Some cats that are used to a particular type of litter and are not comfortable with flushable litter. In order to get the cat accustomed to a flushable cat litter, a small amount of cat litter can be mixed with regular cat litter increasing the amount slowly till the cat is accustomed to the flushable litter.

However unlike other cat litter flushable doesn’t clump together, it crumbles and leaves a stench that may remain in the litter box. Some cats dislike this and start staying away from the box.

However those with old drainage systems, may have a problem since the cat litter may get clogged in the drains or require several flushes before it is completely clean. This may be a problem since the septic tank may get clogged and may require a professional to unclog the drains which may become a messy affair.

Priced from $ 12 to $ 30 for a packet of cat litter, flushable cat litter is available in several brands.

Whatever the kind of cat litter it will affect the environment in some way. But flushable just keeps the surroundings of the cat less smelly. It is also cleaner and much beats the mess that a cat may make. Most people love their cat, and the cats also are affectionate towards their owners. Flushable cat litter keeps that affection and reduces the gross part to the minimum.