Disposing of cat litter may be your least favourite job as a cat owner and you may not know how to dispose of the litter safely and cleanly. Not only is it a smelly job, it can be messy too, disposing of litter in the correct way is important for both you and your cats health, and not only for the environment too.
In this article we look at how to dispose of cat litter and the safest way to do it.
How Often Should You Change Your Cat Litter?
The ideal amount will depend on your cat’s toilet habits and how many cats you have using the litter. Spot clean the tray daily and aim to replace the litter in the tray at least once a week. Your cat will thank you for keeping their litter fresh and clean, they may find another place to toilet if their litter isn’t fresh and clean.
Where To Dispose Of Cat Litter
For the most of us, the easiest option may be to scoop the litter and drop it into the bin. Scoop the used litter and any waste into a biodegradable bag, secure and put into your normal household bin. To save on biodegradable bags, invest in a ‘cat litter bin’, which would enable you to use one bigger biodegradable bag for several weeks worth of waste, without making your usual/standard bin smell.
If you use biodegradable cat litter, you have the option to put the used litter onto a compost bin. It’s good to know clay litter does not breakdown and cannot be put onto a compost bin. Materials such as pine, paper or corn can however be composted. It’s worth noting composting cat litter can be bad for the environment and can cause a risk to human health. Do not add any cat litter to your compost heap if you are to use this where children may play or if you may use it to grow anything edible.
Remember - if you’re composting your litter, remove all waste before putting onto your compost.
How To Dispose Of Wood Cat Litter
Wood pellets can absorb up to three times their own weight in moisture, making them a great absorbent kind of cat litter. They’re also biodegradable making them them an environmentally friendly product. Wood litter should never be disposed of outdoors, and like any litter, soiled litter is for the bin and the bin only. Even though wood litter is biodegradable, they must be disposed of properly - by being composted or bagged and sent to landfill.
Can You Flush Cat Litter?
Avoid any flushing of the cat litter down your sinks or toilet. Litters are not flushable and can cause a lot of issues with your plumbing which may end up being quite an expensive mistake to make.