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Many cat owners are under the impression that flushable cat litter is much more environmentally friendly than the traditional alternative; however, the harm flushable litter can cause to your plumbing and, on a broader scale, the planet may be more far-reaching than widely thought. While this new-age product is most definitely less smelly and more convenient than packing your cat's fecal matter to the outdoor trash can every night, it can wreak havoc on your septic system and send harmful parasites into water treatment plants that aren't equipped for pet waste.
Here's the scoop on "flushable" cat litter and why it shouldn't be flushed after all. Flushable litter is often made up of corn, wood, pine, or wheat, so it's biodegradable — if you don't put it in a plastic bag — and, according to its creators, also flushable. The corn and cassava ingredients in some provide excellent odor control without using artificial fragrances, which are common in clay-based litters.
Some also clump, making it easier to remove urine and feces without having to empty the whole box. The biggest upside is, of course, that these litters can be discarded in the toilet.
Gone are the days of sending plastic bag-wrapped cat poop to the landfill. Flushing clumps is certainly a lot easier than the outdated process of scooping, bagging, and trashing. However, most don't clump as easily as nonflushable litters, they can contain common cat allergens corn, wheat , and they tend to cost more. Flushable litter is often positioned as a sustainable alternative to clay-based litter, the most common kind. Some clump, some don't.
Clumping litters, in particular, are popular for their ease of removing urine, as the litter absorbs liquid and creates scoopable drops.
The litter doesn't need to be replaced as often as nonclumping litters; however, these clay-based litters end up in the trash, often in plastic bags, where they wind up in landfills and create other environmental woes. Clay-based litter doesn't break down in compost heaps, and the clay itself is often derived from materials gathered through strip mining in places like Wyoming.
Given clay litter's absorbent nature, it's not designed for flushing through your pipes. Even though flushable litter is advertised as such, it isn't always safe to flush. Some aren't even designed for septic systems, and some septic systems simply won't break down materials like cat fecal matter and litter, according to national liquid waste management service Wild River Environmental , no matter what kind of litter you use. Even if you have confirmed that your septic system is compatible with flushable litter, it's probably not advisable to flush it anyway.
Not waiting long enough between flushing clumps can result in clogs, and if you don't break up larger clumps prior to flushing — which you'll want to do somewhere other than the litter box — you could face all sorts of nasty problems. In addition to your septic system, you have your toilet to worry about. Cat poop quickly dehydrates and hardens in litter, so by the time you get around to scooping it, it's basically petrified and likely to create a clog.
Read the ingredient label carefully. Cat feces can also contain toxoplasma, an illness-causing parasite that can be passed to humans. A growing number of marine mammals have been diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, which is believed to have survived the sewage treatment process , allowing cat litter flushed down the toilet to sweep the parasite out to sea.
Even though it was designed to be flushed down the toilet, flushable cat litter can still cause clogs. Septic systems, in particular, were not designed to handle the extra solids from flushable cat litter and can struggle or fail to break down in the septic system.
Flushing pet waste may also exceed the design capacity of the septic system. Because of this, Teller recommends flushing one or two clumps at a time rather than emptying the entire contents of the litter box into the toilet. But, with each flush, your water use goes up and the environmental benefits go down—and it takes longer to clean the litter box.
Flushable cat litter tends to be more expensive than conventional clay-based clumping cat litter. Although each bag might cost just a few dollars more, it can add up over the life of your cat. This cat litter is made from soybeans and corn starch and contains no chemical additives or synthetic materials.
This all-natural litter has good odor control and clumps easily for simple cleanup. This litter clumps, but then breaks apart in water, making it safe to flush, even with septic systems. Plus one bag lasts quite a while—which means this is a good value for the price. We like this eco-friendly, tofu option from Bolux due to its low dust and low tracking capabilities.
It is safe to use with septic and sewer systems, so flushing is a cinch. In fact, some state governments, including Rhode Island , prohibit pet owners from flushing pet waste. The California legislature even passed a bill that requires flushable cat litter manufacturers to add a statement to their packaging that discourages cat owners from flushing cat litter down the toilet.
Switching to flushable cat litter is not as simple as purchasing a bag and filling the litter box. For a smooth transition, Derse advises placing multiple litter boxes around the house and filling one with the old litter and one with the new, flushable product to see how the cat responds.
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