Clumping cat litter has enjoyed a long run as one of the most popular types of cat litter. However, it seems that recently cat litter that clumps has come under fire from some quarters, with claims that the litter can present a health risk to not only your pet but also to everyone in your household. Here are some of the things you should know about cat litter of this type and your health.

One of the purported dangers of cat litter that clumps has to do with the chemicals that are used to give the litter its clumping ability. Most brands contain sodium bentonite and quartz silica. Sodium bentonite is an absorbent material that can swell up to eighteen times its original size. The idea is that a cat may very well carry a small piece of this agent away from the box and then ingest this fragment of litter while going about the routine grooming that cats like to do every day. The swelling properties could then create an internal health risk for the cat. In the case of sodium bentonite, it has been proven to be a cause of several types of cancer in humans, if contact is prolonged and consistent.

A second attribute of clumping cat litter also presents a potential problem. The compounds tend to be dusty. This means that when your cat does his or her scratching in the litter box, it sends out dust particles into the air, with some also settling into your cat's fur. As your cat roams the house and most particularly on those occasions when your cat jumps into your lap and demands some attention, sodium bentonite particles can then be transferred to you and create respiratory problems. Also, the transference of the silica quartz by way of the dust particles is a relatively easy way to introduce the cancer causing agents into your system as well.

Just how serious and what amount of exposure is actually needed to put pets and humans at risk is still being determined, so there is no immediate need of dumping any litter you may have into the garbage just yet. At the same time, with so many other forms of cat litter on the market, perhaps it would be a good idea to try something other than clumping cat litter for your pet's litter box. In the long run, you and your cat may benefit from the change.

By: Mayoor Patel

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Cats make wonderful pets, they're soft, cuddly and affectionate without being overbearing and they don't require too much maintenance. In fact they're almost perfect except for one thing - the litter box. While most cats will use the littler box with little or no training it can be a smelly and messy area in the home but it doesn't have to be that way. Here are five tips that will help keep your cat's litter box smelling and looking great.

1. Make sure you have enough of them. Cats like to have a clean litter box and some of them can be a little quirky about the way they use it so you should have at least one litter box per cat. Now this doesn't mean that each cat will have its own litter box they'll probably use all the litter boxes some may like to only urinate in one and defecate in another while others won't like to use litter boxes that other cats have used - you really won't know until you watch your cats and see how they behave and then you can decide what works best for them. It's also not a bad idea to have an extra litter box if you have the room. If your house is more than one floor you'll want to consider having at least one litter box on each floor.

2. Keep it clean. The biggest reason that cats will use the litter box is that it's full. You wouldn't want to dig around in a bunch of clumped up *** and **** would you? Well, neither does your cat so you should be sure to keep his litter box clean. Be sure to scoop it at least once a day and totally change it out and wash it every week. This will cut down on the litter box smell as it is actually the bacteria that's causing the smell and, remember, even if you can't smell it your cat probably can, so keeping it clean is important if you want to keep your cat using the box.

3. Use a litter your cat likes. If your cat refuses to use the litter box, it might simply be the litter. Try using different types to find out what the cat seems to like best. unscented litter is your best bet and kittens under four months should use a non-clumping letter only. I personally like a clumping litter that is made out of wheat which is called "Swheat Scoop" and is all-natural and biodegradable and doesn't have all that dust that clay litters have - and my cat likes it too!

4. Make it private. Just like you, your cat wants to feel relaxed and comfortable when he's using his litter box so you want to put it in a place away from noisy areas that has a little bit of privacy. Make sure it's not anywhere where something might happen that could frighten the cat away. Also, do not put the litter box near their food and water dishes.

5. Proper introduction. Young kittens already have the instinct to use something that can be raked as their litter, but they might find that your plants or other things in your house are just as convenient as a litter box. Until your kitten gets used using a litter box and only the litter box, you might want to limit where they can go so that the litter box is the only appealing place for him to do his business. If you bring a new cat into your house, confine him to a small area that has his food, water, bedding and litterbox. Once he has used the litter box several times and you feel comfortable it's the only place he wants to go in, you can widen his range and slowly move the litter box to where you eventually want it placed. Once you find a spot for the litter box keep it there always.

Having a litter box is a necessity if you have a cat, but keeping the area clean and introducing your cat to the box properly can make this part of cat ownership a breeze.

By: Lee Dobbins

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