What’s in cat litter and how does it work ?

As Australia promotes responsible cat ownership requiring cats to be kept inside, there is a greater demand for natural and biodegradable products. Although it’s not all that much to look at, it’s important to pick the right odour controlling and absorbent litter for your cat and home environment.
Have you ever wondered what the story is about cat litter and how it came about?  You have come to the right place, so read on!

The origin of cat litter

During the 20th century, cat owners used everything from sand, ash to newspaper to address the problem of a substance that could soak up cat urine with varying degrees of success. Some of these substances’ cats didn’t like with many sticking to the cats’ paws or fur which then made a mess around the home.

During the 1940s, Edward Lowe discovered granulated clay absorbed moisture and trapped bad odours but more importantly, cats didn’t track the clay around the home. Lowe recommended this “new type of litter”, feedback was positive and was an instant hit with cat owners making Lowe very rich.

What’s in modern day litter?

Lowes clay litter solution remain unchanged for around 40 years, but litter became effective and cheaper with the introduction of bentonite clumping clay litter by Thomas Nelson. This type of litter would clump when wet, eliminating the need to change the whole litter tray. As time went on other substance materials were introduced from silica cat litter to finally the modern-day eco-friendly litter.

Eco-friendly cat litter

Mining clay leaves a carbon footprint, crystal cat litter is marketed as low dust, but it produces fine dust that could pose respiratory issues to both cats and humans with prolonged exposure. A range of natural, organic, biodegradable and eco-friendly litters are now available, many of them address environmental and health concerns. Renewable litters such as wood pellets and Tofu Cat Litter are now available to create highly effective premium cat litter.

Odour control

Clay, Crystals (silica) and the other materials used to make cat litter have natural odour absorbing qualities but as manufactures continue to develop their products, new and more effective agents are used to trap bad smells before they can develop.  Carbon, starch and baking soda can be found in Tofu litter to minimise the odour but also add absorbency properties.

The absorbency and odour litter control are replicated in wood pellet litter from the pine odour (pinene) leaving a natural fresh fragrance in and out of the litter tray.

Also popular for odour control is the recent development of litter tray deodorisers.  These are not only eco-friendly but are pet safe, eliminating odour forming bacteria and germs. Look for the Australian blends that are cruelty free and have Australian botanical ingredients to leave a long-lasting floral fragrance.

With so many new types of litter on the market that are natural, sustainable and purrfectly Earth-friendly, try a few solutions, and choose something you and your cat both agree on.

For more information on premium cat litter and other cat tray toileting solutions visit the Proviro Group website or follow us on social media for updates and sneak peeks of what’s in store.