Can someone advise me on how to make homemade cat litter?
By nailed from Ogden, UT
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I found a great web site for making homemade cat litter. Try this homemade one, www.ehow.com/
If you or someone you know is into woodworking or you have a sawmill locally. Sawdust works great. Fill you box with sawdust add some baking soda mix them together and you have cat litter.
Is it safe for cats to inhale sawdust?
And they surely will ingest some of it while licking paws or grooming themselves... isn't that dangerous?
I would talk to your vet to be sure but I couldn't find anything concerning about cats ingesting or breathing in sawdust. Many sites recommend it as a safe alternative to regular kitty litter. Maybe use wood shavings instead to avoid the dust.
Regarding branded, wood cat litter, which is even better than just any old "sawdust"...
There is a CA Prop65 warning, right on the back of the bag which indicates sawdust is known to be cancer causing.
In addition, most branded wood litters use a combination of various conifer woods (evergreen) including pine, fir and spruce. These woods contain phenols (oils) that are toxic to cats even in just small amounts.
Companies will claim the kiln dried wood removes phenols, but this is untrue. Kiln drying is done at lower temps which removes water not oils. To remove (some of) the toxic phenols, the temp. used would have to be extremely high. Even then, some phenols would remain.
The question then would be how much is too much? It's just not worth the risk to the health of your cat.
Inhaling sawdust is dangerous for humans and certainly dangerous for cats. Cats are much closer to the dust and are in contact with the material.
Most wood based cat litters contain a Calif prop.65 warning stating "Inhalation of sawdust is cancer causing".
In addition to the sawdust, soft woods are generally those chosen for cat litters and these are conifers. Conifer woods contain phenols and acids that are TOXIC to cats. Kiln drying does not remove phenols. The phenols are what give the wood the great smell. If you can smell the piney smell, phenols ate there..
Phenols cause respiratory issues but even worse, cause neurological issues in cats. The first indication of toxicity is strange ear and whisker movements and facial tics.
Based upon my extensive research,
I feel that wood based products are
are not safe & non toxic to your cat!
> Most or all wood cat litters/wood pellets are made using conifer softwoods including Pine, Fir, Spruce & Cedar. These woods contain Phenols/oils that are highly toxic to all cats.
You should never assume that ANY product is safe simply because it is manufactured and marketed for pets. Of course YOU love your cat, hamster, mouse, horse, etc. But products exist to make money; many do not prioritize the health of your beloved animal over profit!
> Thru indept research of the lumber industry, I learned that the purpose of kiln drying wood is to remove water, NOT to remove toxic phenols in the wood.
Phenols are also present in many household cleaning products like Pinesol. Cat parents must remain vigilant in protecting their kitties by investigating each ingredient in both household & pet products.
> Cancer causing sawdust. Calif. posted a Prop 65 warning that says
inhalation of sawdust is cancer
causing. Cats dig in cat litter and their faces, noses and mouths are right in the sawdust. When people pour and scoop they breathe it too.
> Soft wood based cat litters cause respiratory irritation in people but even more so in cats who are much closer to the sawdust and are more vulnerable to phenol toxicity.
Long term exposure ! But your cat will not be exposed for any long term's. And if your box is open , my guess is maybe 5 min. A day if that , the chemical,s in counter top,s and carpet , much worse.
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