How to make eco-friendly cat litter

More and more people are looking for a substitute for commercial and scented cat litter , as it contains elements that can be harmful to some felines and when discarding the remains they are pollutants in the environment.

If you are looking for a way to make natural cat litter , we propose three different ways for you to choose the one that suits you best. To begin, we will talk about sawdust or sawdust for cats. This is a material that comes from wood, so it is very suitable to absorb the residues of the needs of our animals and to be able to eliminate the used parts, thus when absorbing moisture it cakes and is a material that serves as clumping cat litter. .

This material is easy to find, they sell it in various places but, in addition, since it is the remains of treating wood in carpentry, there may be a craftsman or carpenter in your area who will give or sell them cheaply. It is very important not to buy colored sawdust, which they sell to make crafts and other more attractive activities for people, but it should be remembered that for our animals it can be toxic as it contains artificial chemical dyes and breathes it closely; therefore, get natural sawdust.

Here are the materials and steps for you to learn how to make natural cat litter with sawdust :

Materials

In these recipes, the amounts of each material can vary depending on the volume you are going to make. We recommend you start with the right amount to fill the litter box only once and, if you see that this type of homemade cat litter suits you, then do more.

• Sawdust or sawdust.
• Container with sprayer or sprayer.
• Water.
• Sodium bicarbonate.
• Basin.
• Ecological or biodegradable detergent (optional).

Elaboration

1. Place the sawdust in a basin and remove any chips that may exist, especially if it is collected directly from the carpentry. In this way, you will prevent your cat from getting hurt. Keep only the dust or small pieces of this material.
2. If you want to use the ecological detergent, you will have to wash the sawdust first with this product and then rinse it very well. This step is optional and serves to further ensure hygiene, but baking soda is more recommended and, therefore, you can use it alone or after the detergent.
3. Boil the water with the bicarbonate diluted in it for a couple of minutes and let it cool.
4. Once it is cold, fill the sprayer with the baking soda water and wet the sawdust with it, until everything is damp.
5. Leave the bowl with the wet sawdust in the sun to dry. When it is ready you can use it for your cat’s litter box. In this way, this material does not throw as much dust or wood particles and is sanitized for use by the animal.

However, if your cat has respiratory problems we do not recommend this option. Therefore, below, we present other more suitable ones.

Another option of vegetable litter for cats , instead of stones or other commercial materials with artificial chemicals, is the use of newspapers. Also, this option is ideal if you are looking for ways to reuse or recycle paper . Get these supplies and follow these guidelines to prepare this newsprint kitty litter :

Materials

• Diary paper.
• Basin or other large container.
• Strainer.
• Gloves.
• Warm water.
• Sodium bicarbonate.
• Ecological or biodegradable soap or detergent.

The recommended ratio is 1 full tablespoon of baking soda for every 100g of newspaper.

Preparation

1. Cut the newspaper into very small pieces. You can help yourself with a paper shredder or scissors.
2. Mix the warm water with the detergent and soak the pieces of paper. It is best to leave it for a full day at most.
3. Strain the paper and squeeze or wring it with your hands to remove the most soapy water. For this we recommend the use of gloves, but if possible they are biodegradable or, at least, to be used for a long time and not for single use. The reason is that the paper sticks to your hands and releases all the ink from the newspaper and, in this way, you will not get stained.
4. As you drain the paper, separate it on a large surface and leave it in the sun, so that it is shredded and continues to dry well. Thus, the paper treated in this way will remain as small stones, reminiscent of those of cat litter.
5. When it has dried completely, then you can use it as the usual litter for your feline.

On the other hand, if you and your cat like the option of stones, beach sand can be another ecological option for your furry to relieve himself and you can dispose of the material without problems. Take note of the steps to use the beach sand for the cat’s litter box correctly:

Materials

• Beach sand from a clean area. The grains of sand can be somewhat large or, you can look for fine sand, as you prefer, although we recommend the fine one since the coarse one can have some edges if the stones are not well worn and make small wounds in the cat’s pads.
• Biodegradable or ecological detergent or soap.
• Water.
• Sodium bicarbonate.
• Basin.

Steps

1. Wash the sand with the soap and rinse it well, letting it dry in the sun.
2. Wash the sand again, but this time with the water mixed with baking soda. Rinse it well and remove as much of the water as possible with a strainer, sieve or mesh.
3. Let it air dry well and better if it is in direct sunlight.
4. When it is dry you can use it as normal for your furry friend’s litter box.

Now that you know the answer to your question about “how can I make ecological cat litter?” And that you can choose between three options, we will tell you how to use it:

1. Get yourself a suitable litter box for cats , as not everyone likes the same types and, for example, some prefer closed ones and others open ones.
2. Clean your chosen cat litter box thoroughly . Of course, we recommend that you use organic or natural products.
3. Fill the box with the ecological homemade cat litter that you have prepared.
4. Locate the litter box for cats in a suitable place, since felines do not want to relieve themselves in places that do not convince them and, then, they begin to do them in any other place they like better. Avoid putting the litter box near his bed or crib, do not place it near his water and food or in places where loud sounds reach.
5. When you see that the sand is already used, clean at least that part by removing the used material. That is, it is not necessary that every time you see a dirty corner you change the entire box, you just have to clean everything and fill again when there are several dirty parts, which is usually two or three times a week, in case have only one cat. Anyway, if you have more than one, it is best to place a sandbox for each of them.
6. The used sand can be thrown into the waste container or used to compost in your garden or field, especially that made with sawdust and newspapers. It is not possible to throw the organic material container to reuse the content at the official level (city council containers) due to the fact that there is feces and urine, just as we cannot throw the dog feces that we collect wrapped in paper in this container.
7. Maybe if you make the switch at once, your feline friend will not accept the new situation. Therefore, it is best to make the change over several days . Start by mixing a little of the new sand with the one you used before, and each time you change the content, add more of the organic homemade and less of the other until you just use the new one.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to make ecological litter for cats , we recommend that you enter our category of Ecological Products .