Questions Relating to Cats and Clumping Litter

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Concerning Cats and Clumping Litter

Many of these questions are inspired by my article, Clumping Clay Kitty Litters: A Deadly Convenience?, which was first published in Tiger Tribe magazine in 1995 and has ever since been posted to my Web site. Please read these questions and answers first before writing to me. However, if you don't see the answer to yoru question, feel free to write to me!

The questions in this section are:

I'm using a clumping clay kitty litter and want to switch right away. What can I use?
What kind of cat litter are you using?
What do you feed your cats?
I asked my vet about your article and she said that she has never encountered any problems related to clumping clay kitty litters. What evidence do you have that sodium bentonite is a problem?
If clumping clay kitty litter is such a health hazard, why is it being sold? ...and why aren't cats getting sick from it?
You mention CareFresh and say you like it. I visited the company's Web site and now I'm confused. Do you mean the rodent bedding or the kitty litter?
What about Litter Pearls? What do you think of that litter?
Do you charge money for this? Or, are you making any money from this?

I'm using a clumping clay kitty litter and want to switch right away. What can I use?

See the list of alternatives on this page. For each alternative, I did my best to gather the following information: Manufacturer's contact information, product Web site, and a description of the litter.

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What kind of cat litter are you using?

After a long hiatus from experimenting, during which I used CareFresh, I decided to return to experimenting with different kinds of litter. Currently, the new formulation of SWheatScoop is in the litter box.

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What do you feed your cats?

Please do not feed your cat the "kitty junk food" you find in the grocery store. Go to a feed store or a pet shop to find a high-quality food. It may cost more per pound, but your cat will eat less and will be healthier. For more on what I feed my cats and on cat nutrition, see my Cat Health and Nutrition page.

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I asked my vet about your article and she said that she has never encountered any problems related to clumping clay kitty litters. What evidence do you have that sodium bentonite is a problem?

Many vets may have encountered the problem but not identified the cause. Because there isn't just one set of symptoms, but instead there are a range of symptoms, it isn't necessarily an easy thing to pinpoint. If the cat is exhibiting signs of lethargy, anemia, and loss of appetite (which, according to Dr. Hornfeldt, are typical signs of sodium bentonite poisoning), a vet might prescribe prednisone or some other steroid, which can have a temporary effect, but which is not in this case the cure, again according to Dr. Honrfeldt.

For more information, see the list of articles on the CatMom.Com Table of Contents, particularly the article by Carl Hornfeldt, Suspected Bentonite Toxicosis in a Cat from Ingestion of Clay Cat Litter.

See also my article providing more data on sodium bentonite: Clumping Clay Kitty Litters—Need More Data?.

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If clumping clay kitty litter is such a health hazard, why is it being sold? ...and why aren't cats getting sick from it?

It is being sold because the companies making it are making a lot of money selling it and apparently are not ethical enough to avoid the lure of profits at any cost. The answer to the second part of that question is that cats are getting sick, but vets aren't necessarily recognizing the cause.

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You mention CareFresh and say you like it. I visited the company's Web site and now I'm confused. Do you mean the rodent bedding or the kitty litter?

I mean the rodent bedding.

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What about Litter Pearls? What do you think of that litter?

I tried it and emphatically did not like it. It was too expensive and not up to the number of cats in my household. I have, however, heard from others who are very enthusiastic about it.

Also, I have received several emails from different people warning me that they believe the "pearl" type litters can harm or even kill cats. I have no data on that, but with so many excellent, harmless alternatives, why take a chance?

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Do you charge money for this (articles, Web site)? Or, are you making any money from this?

I don't charge for anything related to disseminating the information about clumping clay kitty litters and alternatives (for instance, for reprint rights), for two reasons. The first is that I am providing this information as a service to cats, who can't ask for help themselves. At least, not in any way that most people understand. The second is that I do not want to bring my credibility into question, because some people are skeptical enough as it is about the possibility that clumping clay kitty litters can pose a health hazard. I don't want to give anyone any further cause to be skeptical beyond a normal, healthy desire to check the facts themselves.

Mind you, I still retain all rights to anything I have written, and you must write to me for permission if you want to reprint anything from my Web site.

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