Healthy Cat Litter

The health of a cat may depend on several factors. The type of litter you choose may also influence your cat's health. There are various types of litter, but some of these may not be healthy for cats or some may even be irritants for your pet. When you choose the cat litter, you may also consider additional factors such as your health and the safety of the environment.

Cat Litter Box

The cat litter box is the place where the pet will eliminate urine and feces. The cat litter is important to help you get rid of the feces and urine, and will also cover the unpleasant odor. When you choose the type of litter you will have to consider a few factors such as:

• The safety of the pet, and whether the product is healthy for the cat
• Your safety, as you may inhale particles from the cat litter and this can affect your health as well
• The environment, whether the cat litter will be an environmentally friendly solution
• The price of the cat litter
• Whether it covers the odors

Types of Cat Litter

The cat litter may be made of various materials:

• Sand cat litter, which was the very first material used for cat urine and feces. The main problem with the sand was that it doesn't cover the bad odor, and it may also contain silica particles, which are not healthy.
• Clay litter, which is a very absorbent material and may also cover the odors; however, this is also considered a health hazard, because it contains silica particles, more than sand. The silica particles may be inhaled by the pet and by humans as well and may lead to silicosis, which is a dangerous disease affecting parts of the lungs.
• Clumping cat litter, which can be made of organic ingredients or even recycled materials.

Healthy Cat Litter

Generally speaking, the cat litter that is considered healthy is a product that is free from silica. Consequently, sand and clay may not qualify as safe ingredients. Many cats may be allergic to dry clay, which will cause symptoms such as sneezing, coughing and watery eyes. Certain types of clay can be damaging for the environment, because these won't be biodegradable. Clay cat litter is a contributing source of the growing landfills.

The scoopable cat litter is the healthiest choice both for you and the pet. Opt for scoopable litter that is made of biodegradable materials such as wheat, peanut hulls or recycled paper. These will be healthy for you and your cat, and will also be an environmentally friendly solution.

To be safe you will have to use gloves when getting rid of the cat litter. The cat urine and feces may carry a number of bacteria and parasites which can be transmitted to humans. Always wash your hands after cleaning the cat litter box.