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Clumping cat litters hold great appeal for cat-lovers because they are so convenient. But what many pet-owners don’t realize is that two ingredients in most clumping cat litters have been implicated in diseases and even the deaths of many animals and humans.
Sodium bentonite
Is often added as a clumping agent to traditional cat litters to create the “scoopable” clay litters on the market. Sodium bentonite acts like an expandable cement, used as a grouting, sealing, and plugging material-it can swell up to 15 to18 times their dry size and clog up your cat's insides. which is why these litters should not be flushed. Cats often lick themselves after using the litter box, ingesting pieces of the litter. If litter gets inside them, it expands just as it does in the plumbing. Also, the dust from such litters can coat our cats’ lungs, leading to respiratory problems. There has been reported instances of poisoning in humans from chronic ingestion of sodium bentonite, so just imagine what effect it can have on our kitties!
Quartz silica (sand)
The other ingredient in most clumping litters, is a known carcinogen for both humans and household pets when inhaled. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, silicon particles which can be found in clay litter are a known human carcinogen. Breathing in these particles can cause respiratory illness. When your cat goes to cover her waste, this dust is kicked up and introduced into the room. Distributed on the floor and anywhere else it chooses to settle, the dust then becomes an invasive intruder, causing problems for humans and animals alike.
Flushable litters
Flushable litters, however, remain controversial because cat poo can contain Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that enters felines after they've eaten infected rodents, birds, or other small animals. Although the cats later expel the parasites in their feces, these parasites can survive in soil for more than a year, as well as foul up our drinking water. Because most municipal sewage-treatment systems do not filter out Toxoplasma, the parasites can get flushed into ocean waters close to shore, and concentrate in mussels, crabs, and other filter feeders that sea otters feed on. Hundreds of sea otters have been found dead off the coast of California in recent years, and some scientists believe that cat feces from flushable litter may be one of the culprits. Just another reason to keep your cat indoors. The Department of Environmental Quality confirms that our sewer systems are so overtaxed that ANYTHING beyond toilet paper and human waste really puts a strain on the system.
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So what's a kitty owner to do? Try one of these tried and tested Australian Cat Litter Products. All enviromentaly friendy and economical.
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1. Breeders Choice Pelleted Cat Litter Is an Uniquely Australian product made from recycled paper.
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2. SCAT cat litter. Made from dried Sphagnum Peat Moss
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3. Light & Easy Cat Litter from recycled telephone books.
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4.NATTY CAT Made from 100% Lucerne
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5. WonderWheat. Developed and Owned by Western Australians using our own Aussie Wheat.

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