Tuesday 31 July 2012

Is It Safe to Let My House Rabbit Run Free in the Garden?

You have got your house rabbit safely housed and comfortable with good, absorbent rabbit litter and a sufficient supply of comfy rabbit bedding, but when the sun starts to shine, many pet owners are tempted to let their rabbit have a run in the garden.

Making sure your rabbit gets regular exercise is vital to their health and well-being. However, with this in mind, there are certain safety factors and precautions that you should make when you let your rabbit out to play in your back garden and we shall examine some if these here.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Pests

Flystrike is deadly to a rabbit and can affect not only outdoor rabbits, but indoor bunnies too. This is caused by the green bottle fly, and other fly types, which lay eggs on live rabbits.

These flies are attracted to damp fur and a wet or dirty groin area. Overweight, elderly or long-haired rabbits are particularly at risk because they are unable to clean themselves properly.

It helps if you regularly check your rabbit to make sure your pet is dry and clean when it is let free. You can also cut down the risk of flystrike by using super-absorbent rabbit litter and rabbit bedding such as SmartBedz. This soaks up urine and helps keep your rabbit dry and comfortable.

Another benefit of SmartBedz rabbit litter and rabbit bedding is that it is a natural odour suppressant - and suppressing odour helps make your rabbit less attractive to flies. Make sure you spot clean your rabbit’s cage daily and replace the dirty rabbit litter with a clean layer of SmartBedz at least once a week.

Before you set your rabbit loose in the garden, be sure to inspect your rabbit’s skin and fur, especially the behind area, and again before you bring your pet in. If your rabbit has any pre-existing skin problems such as wounds or sores, it is best to keep your bunny inside until these are healed.

There are also other insects can put your rabbits are risk. Fleas can cause disease and the deadly virus myxomatosis is transmitted via biting insects such as mosquitoes, mites and lice.  Some inspects can also be transmitted via dust from hay. However, SmartBedz rabbit litter and rabbit bedding has been heat treated to help eliminate pests and to keep your rabbit healthy.

Rabbit Bedding - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Escape

Younger rabbits and more inquisitive species will want to explore and can easily burrow, dig, or squeeze their way under fences. They can also make small holes in mesh fencing.

Carefully examine your garden or courtyard area and actively look for any escape routes and block them. If it is impossible to make sure your garden is completely secure, you will need to provide an enclosed run of some kind.  

The minimum recommended size of an enclosed run is 6 ft x 4 ft and there are various runs available - or you could even make your own. Make sure the rabbit run has a roof to keep predators out and to stop your rabbit escaping. This should be tall enough so your rabbit can stand on its hind legs.

Ideally you should attach the run to your rabbit’s sleeping quarters, so it has a shaded area and somewhere to hide. If you do this, make sure its sleeping quarters has a layer of rabbit litter or rabbit bedding to keep your pet cosy and comfortable.

Rabbit pens can come in many forms, some of these are: apex runs (which can be folded flat when not in use), wire runs (best used under supervision), metal runs, wood and mesh runs, and aviaries.

Rabbit Litter -  click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Attack

Rabbits are prey animals and will be of great interest to predators such as foxes, cats and dogs. Remember that foxes do not only roam the countryside, but can also be found in urban areas too. You will need to provide a run with a roof on to protect your rabbit from attack.

Make sure that the roof and sides of the run are firmly fixed so the rabbit can’t push them open or they do not get blown away. The wire mesh should also be small enough to prevent predatory animals putting their paws through.

Rabbit Bedding -  (link to http://www.smartbedz.co.uk/index.cfm/fa/Rabbit) click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Stress

Even if they are not actually under threat, rabbits can get very stressed if they sense other animals nearby. You can spot signs of stress in your pet if they are trying to hide, thump the ground with their back feet, and are constantly upright, sniffing and listening with upright ears. On the other hand, a relaxed rabbit is one that is feeding, lying down or sitting with its ears flat.

Again, the solution to a stressed bunny is to provide an enclosed run and or temporary hutch for your rabbit to hide in. Otherwise it may well try to escape and a frightened rabbit is extremely hard to catch!

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Friday 27 July 2012

Where to Keep Your House Rabbit

Many rabbit owners choose to keep their pet inside the house for a number of reasons. It  could be so you can interact with your rabbit more, it is easier change the rabbit litter whatever the weather, and you want to ensure your pet is warm and dry inside.  But once you have made the decision to keep your rabbit indoors, where is the best place to keep it within your home? The answer may be different depending on the layout of your home and your preferences - but here are a few key factors to consider.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Hygiene

Rabbits are easily house trained and many pet owners provide a rabbit litter tray for this in addition to the appropriate rabbit bedding for its sleeping quarters.

For hygiene reasons, the rabbit litter tray and sleeping area needs to be kept well away from food preparation and eating areas. The smell of urine can be addressed with natural odour suppressing rabbit litter, such as SmartBedz, which gives you more options when it comes to siting your pet.

Cleaning out your pet can involve rabbit litter, rabbit bedding and other debris falling on to the floor, so it is best to avoid carpeted areas. If you do keep your rabbit on a carpeted area, lay down a rug, waterproof mat or other protective layer.

Using SmartBedz rabbit litter and rabbit bedding will reduce the amount of cleaning out you have to do because SmartBedz rabbit litter pellets are extremely absorbent and soak up to four times their size in moisture.

This rabbit bedding is ideal for both rabbit litter trays and sleeping quarters as it will keep your pet clean and dry. It is also a dust-free rabbit bedding which is not only important for rabbits, but it also makes the cleaning out process easier for the owners, especially if they are prone to allergies.

Crepuscular Habits

Crepuscular pets are animals that are most active during dawn and dusk. So avoid the bedroom unless you are happy with an early alarm call. Likewise your rabbit will want a dark and quiet area to sleep, so avoid rooms or locations which are very noisy, such as next to washing machines or TV sets, or rooms that are likely to have lights kept on all night.

For safety reasons, do make sure that your rabbit is kept away from electrical wires as they are likely to chew on these, which is deadly. To avoid this, rabbit proof your home. Conceal cables and make sure you use cable protectors.

It is also natural for your rabbits to have a go at gnawing furniture, curtains, wallpaper and household plants - and some of these plants can be toxic to a rabbit. Make sure you give your pet lots of attention, as well as toys and alternative things to chew on as this will help prevent this. Meanwhile remove all household plants that can be harmful to your pet.

Wherever you choose to keep your house rabbit, it should have an appropriate place to sleep and hide with a soft layer of rabbit bedding.  One option is to keep a hutch indoors with the door open, so your rabbit can come and go as they please, particularly during the daytime when they are supervised.
Temperature

Rabbits are designed to withstand a certain amount of cold and should not get overheated. Avoid rooms which get too hot, either due to central heating (so keep your rabbit away from radiators), or very sunny rooms.

Also avoid draughts and sudden changes in temperature. So if you can, try to position your indoor hutch away from the front or back door.

Other Pets

Depending on what other pets you have, rabbits can find it stressful being around other animals, especially cats and dogs. While many rabbits can successfully live alongside other pets, leaving them alone together with a cat or dog can be deadly in some circumstances.

In this case, it is best not to force them to share a space, although house rabbits can get along with non-aggressive dogs or cats. Before you decide to do this, consider the temperaments of the animals involved.

Rabbit Bedding - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Tuesday 24 July 2012

What to Do with Your Rabbit When You Go Away

Britain has long been a nation of animal lovers and almost half of UK householders own a pet, such as a rabbit. While we all love our pets, who are very much a part of the family, some rabbits live up to 12 years so it is almost certain that you will want to go away on holiday or for a weekend break away during this time. Choosing the right person to feed and care for your rabbit, and replace your rabbit’s bedding, will be very much on your mind before you go.

Rabbit Bedding - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Caring For Your Rabbit While You Are Away

If you are going on a week long holiday it is best to ensure that a responsible family friend or trusted neighbour looks after your pet. This is ideally someone who is well used to looking after rabbits. You can either take your pet and rabbit bedding to their house or they can drop by each day to feed your rabbit and give it a run.

The first step is to clean out the hutch thoroughly and provide a fresh layer of rabbit bedding before handing your pet over to someone else’s care. In addition to this, make sure that you provide the carer with dust-free rabbit bedding, and rabbit litter to use while you are away. If they are using SmartBedz rabbit bedding, or rabbit litter, advise them to spot clean the hutch daily to ensure your pet is clean and comfortable in your absence. Also provide adequate food for your rabbit and ask that fresh water is given daily.

One of the benefits of SmartBedz universal pet litter is that the appointed carer can use SmartBedz rabbit bedding and rabbit litter for all your pets - including cats, gerbils, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, snakes, lizards and ferrets. This is a great space saver and is less time consuming as there is no need for the carer search your home to find the appropriate litter or bedding for the right animal.

Rabbits need regular clean outs because if they are housed in a dirty environment it can cause your pet to suffer and fall ill. This is why SmartBedz rabbit bedding is ideal for temporary carers because they can spot clean the hutch before your return. This is easy to do using a SmartBedz scoop with holes in as they just shovel out the dirty, swollen pellets, and the clean ones drop back into the cage.

If you decide to board your pets during your break, it will make the move easier for them by keeping grouped rabbits together. It will also help them adjust if they have a familiar environment, so bring along their toys, and dust free rabbit litter and rabbit bedding such as SmartBedz (although boarding facilities generally provide their own bedding). There are rabbit boarding facilities all over the UK - just search the internet to find one near you.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Caring for Your Rabbit on Weekends Away

While it is best that your rabbit is kept in the care of a friend, family member, or responsible neighbour when you go away, if you are absent for a night or a short weekend there are measures you can take if you leave your rabbit unattended.

Again make sure that you give your rabbit a thorough clean out before you go away so your rabbit is kept clean, healthy and happy. SmartBedz rabbit litter is a good option for this because it is highly absorbent and can soak up to four times its size in moisture. SmartBedz rabbit litter is also odour free so your rabbit should remain comfortable and contented while you are away.

Make sure that you give your rabbit fresh water just before you go, and that their water bottle is clean. One of the options for feeding your rabbit is to give them a Smart food block as a solution, which can last for up to four days.

While you won’t want to leave your rabbit for this long, a food block is a good option for a short break away if you can’t call on the services of a friend or neighbour during this time. SmartFoodz Meadow Delight is a convenient, hygienic and natural product for your rabbit to nibble on.

A single bar of SmartFoodz Meadow Delight is adequate for your rabbit, as long as they also have access to good quality hay. It has all the nutrients they need for a healthy balanced diet and gives your bunny something to gnaw on - it is also good for their teeth. Just hang it from the ceiling in your rabbit’s hutch to keep your pet content.

SmartFoodz Meadow Delight -  click here to buy our new rabbit weekend food bar.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Pet Rabbit Litter – Does Your Choice Really Matter?

Selecting the right rabbit litter for your pet may seem like a difficult task and the options can seem overwhelming. However, do give it some thought as the wrong type of rabbit litter can put your pet’s health at risk.  Luckily these potential pitfalls can be easily avoided by making the correct choice of rabbit litter.  Choosing the right litter also makes a good foundation for pet rabbit bedding.

Pet rabbit bedding or litter is available in many forms from pet shops, on the internet and even home-made ones such as paper or fabric. Here we will look at the benefits of rabbit litter and how to pick the right one.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding from our online shop

Why is Rabbit Litter Needed at All?

A good rabbit litter works to soak up urine, dispel odours and provides a gentle surface for your rabbit to walk on.

Without litter or bedding a rabbit’s hutch can get dirty and smelly very quickly. With nothing to absorb the urine this will cause an unhealthy build up of ammonia and the hutch will soon start to smell.

Also, urine that is not soaked up will make the hutch and your rabbit wet and put your pet at risk from illness or disease.

A hutch without adequate pet rabbit bedding is cold and uncomfortable, especially if your rabbit is kept outdoors. This is because rabbit litter and bedding is also used as a hutch insulator. Lining your pet’s hutch with newspaper and a generous layer of rabbit litter and soft bedding will help keep your pet cosy and warm.

Rabbit Litter - What Harm Can it Do?


The right rabbit litter makes a big difference to your pet’s welfare as, believe it or not, some types can actually harm your pet. Traditional bedding such as sawdust, for example, is far too dusty as the small particles can affect your rabbit’s tiny nasal passages and irritate your pet’s eyes.

Another popular form of rabbit bedding is straw, but the ends are too sharp for your pet and can hurt your rabbit’s eyes. Chopped wood or hemp can also pose difficulties as it can splinter and cause injury or get trapped in your rabbit’s teeth.

It is not just your pet’s health that can suffer from the wrong form of rabbit litter, but it can also cause discomfort to pet owners. Non-absorbent rabbit litter, such as straw, can allow the build-up of odours which is unpleasant for you and your pet, especially if you keep your rabbit indoors.

Also, dust from pet rabbit bedding will not only affect your animal but the small particles can upset humans too. Sawdust can irritate some pet owners during the cleaning out process so it is not advisable for people with allergies. 

SmartBedz is an organic, non toxic form of pet rabbit bedding/litter with no added chemicals.  It is made from straw with the dust extracted and resulting product compressed into pellets.

Rabbits can munch on almost anything in their cage. However, as it is an agricultural by-product, SmartBedz is completely natural and safe for your rabbit to chew on. If eaten as part of a healthy diet of fresh and dried food, it is actually beneficial for your pet as it is high in fibre.

What About Using Free or Homemade Rabbit Litter?


Several different types of home-made materials can act as an economical alternative to commercial litter. This includes newspaper, shredded paper and cut up pieces of cardboard, cloth or material. However, these have limited absorbency and odour control and means the hutch will still need daily cleaning. Busy families, especially parents with young children, will usually find a frequent cleaning regime impractical and the smell will be a constant problem.

There are other cheap alternative pet rabbit bedding materials which can be sourced outside the home. Hay is readily available and you can obtain this in bulk by purchasing a hay bale from a local farm to cut costs. However, as the hay is untreated it is dusty and may bring bacteria or mould into the cage.

SmartBedz is highly absorbent and swells on contact with urine so it works to suppress odour and keep your pet dry. SmartBedz is also heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria and also mould, which is actually toxic to your pet.

A further benefit of SmartBedz over home-made products is that it allows for a less arduous cleaning regime. This is because the cage can be spot-cleaned daily by scooping out the soiled areas and replacing them with clean rabbit litter. The hutch will still need a more thorough scrub-out once a week.

Rabbit Litter - How Much Do You Need to Spend?

Buying a good quality rabbit litter proves cost-effective as it protects the overall health of your pet. This will save money in the long run as it avoids pricey veterinary bills from animals that fall ill. It can also work to prolong the life of your rabbit so it keeps the whole family happy.

Rabbit and other pet owners are always on the lookout for ways to cut costs and rightly don’t want to spend more than they need. SmartBedz is a very economical form of bedding as one bag can go a long way.

Comments from pet owners have shown that it requires lower usage compared with some other products because it is so absorbent and effective in odour control. As the cage can be spot-cleaned, it does not need a more intensive cleanse as often, so it means a pack of SmartBedz will last a long time.

Although a bag of SmartBedz may seem a bit more expensive than some other products at first, it is a highly effective form of pet litter so a bag of SmartBedz can work out cheaper over a period of time.

How Your Choice Affects You

We’ve considered the impact rabbit litter has on your pet, but what about the effect on the owner?

SmartBedz is a great timesaver as the swollen soiled pellets are easy to spot and they can be scooped out and replaced between more thorough cleanouts.

SmartBedz is virtually dust free so it does not cause discomfort during the cleaning process that other bedding materials provide - such as sawdust. This makes it safer for children who suffer from respiratory problems.

As it is so effective in keeping odour under control, it makes the whole cleaning process a lot more pleasant. It is also organic, so it can also be easily disposed of by flushing it down the toilet (in small quantities) or by putting it on the compost heap.

Pet lovers are often those most concerned about minimising environmental damage and SmartBedz does just that. As a natural agricultural by-product, it is also an ethical choice of rabbit bedding.

Cost-effective and safe for rabbits and pet owners, SmartBedz is the obvious choice of rabbit litter and shows choice really does matter.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding from our online shop.

Monday 9 July 2012

Indoors or Outdoors? Where Should You Keep Your Rabbits in Winter?

It is that time of year again when you think about where best to keep your rabbit: indoors or outdoors? Having a rabbit indoors or outdoors, especially during chilly winters, is the subject of ongoing debate.

Wherever you decide to keep your rabbit this season, you will need to keep them well fed, warm and dry. A vital part of their care is keeping a good supply of rabbit litter. If you do choose to keep your pet indoors, you will need rabbit litter for the litter tray. If you have an outdoor pet, you will need rabbit litter to line the bottom of the hutch to keep it well insulated.

So with snow forecast for the early part of 2012, you will need to consider the options. Here we shall look at all sides of the argument to help you make up your mind. We shall first examine the rabbit’s natural habitat, whether they are adapted for the cold, then look at the implications to the owners of having an indoor or outdoor pet.

Whatever you decide, this will affect the care of your pet including hutch design, choice of rabbit litter and bedding.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding from our online shop.

What is a Rabbit’s Natural Environment?

In the wild rabbits live in draught-free underground burrows which retain some heat during winter. As they live among other rabbits they frequently huddle up together to keep warm. Although they live underground, rabbits need to take frequent trips to the surface to get food, even in freezing conditions.

How Well Can Rabbits Deal With the Cold?


Rabbits grow thicker fur coats as winter approaches and also have fur pads on their feet, so they naturally adapt to winter weather. However, they generally keep out of the cold by snuggling up in sheltered burrows.

This means although they cope with frosty weather quite well, they do need shelter from draughts and extreme conditions. Avoiding the cold is vital for very young rabbits who have not yet grown a winter coat.

Individual Adaptation

There are more than five dozen types of domestic rabbits and variations between the breeds. As a general rule, rabbits will get used to living either indoors or outdoors. However, pay close attention to whether your rabbit seems happy and avoid exposing them to sudden changes in temperature. For example a cold-adapted rabbit may find being indoors uncomfortably hot and vice versa.

Owner Preferences

Where you keep your rabbit is mainly down to owner preference. An owner may want to keep their rabbit indoors for convenience so they can clean, water and feed the rabbit with ease all year round.

Keeping your pet indoors prevents owners worrying about their rabbit’s water freezing over or if they have enough rabbit litter/bedding in freezing conditions. Others prefer to keep their rabbit outside for hygiene reasons; because odour is an issue or they are affected by dust from bedding materials. You may also decide to keep pets outdoors if there are space limitations, especially if you keep a lot of rabbits.

Many of these potential problems can be overcome by SmartBedz. For example, if you have a pet outdoors in the winter, SmartBedz makes cleaning out easier. This is because the cage can be cleaned daily quickly and easily by replacing the dirty pellets with new ones. If you spot clean the cage, it makes a more thorough cleaning job less frequent. SmartBedz is organic so once you have made the cage spotless, you can dispose of any soiled waste on the compost heap.

However, if you prefer to keep your pet indoors, SmartBedz can keep allergies at bay as it is virtually dust free. This is because it has had its dust extracted during the manufacturing process. It is also odour free as it quickly soaks up urine and prevents it coming into contact with air and creating ammonia, the main cause of smells.

Indoor Care Regime

If you do decide to keep your rabbit indoors this winter, you may want to think about house training. Introducing them to a litter tray is much easier than you think as rabbits tend to use the same places for toileting. Make sure you have a layer of SmartBedz to keep the tray odour free.

A rabbit pen, cage or hutch is suitable for rabbits kept indoors. Rabbits like to have a sleeping and eating area but make sure it is large enough for the comfort of your pet - so buy the biggest you can afford. Line the bottom of the cage or hutch with SmartBedz to keep odours at bay. Also make sure your rabbit has a sufficient supply of food and to keep your pet healthy.

Outdoor Care Regime

If you are going to keep your rabbits outdoors in winter, there are lots of steps you can take to keep them warm.

Layer the bottom of the cage with a thick layer of newspaper before adding a layer of rabbit litter. You should then top up sleeping areas with soft hay or similar material for them to burrow into. Their sleeping quarters should have enough bedding to keep them cosy. If you are worried about draughts (especially caused by high winds) you can bring your rabbit’s hutch into a shed or garage. If you do this, make sure you are not using your car in the garage as the exhaust fumes will harm or potentially kill your rabbit.

Many rabbit owners drape a blanket or a waterproof cover over the hutch for extra insulation. You can also put a water proof cover over your rabbit’s run. Keep two water bottles handy, one for use in the cage and the other on stand-by as your rabbit’s water bottle can freeze over. You can also give your rabbit an extra bowl of water just in case this happens.

Cages need a regular clean out in winter because wet areas will freeze. This is what makes SmartBedz an ideal rabbit litter because it immediately soaks up any wet patches and keeps the moisture inside the pellet to keep your pet dry.

Made entirely from straw compressed into pellets, it also works as an insulator to keep your pet snug.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy our universal bedding from our online shop

Dust Free Cat Litter

Some cat litters describe themselves as dust free cat litter, distinguishing themselves from the more dusty varieties. But why is a dust free cat litter better than a dusty one? And who actually benefits from a dust free cat litter - the cat or the owner?

Here we discuss the problems associated with a dusty cat litter and show how using a virtually dust free cat litter such as SmartBedz can avoid a variety of problems for cats and owners alike.

About Dusty Cat Litters
Most conventional cat litter is clay-based, consisting of clay such as bentonite. Although the clay is compressed into pellets, it is of course dry - a necessary part of its absorbency. The clay granules rub together during transit or while being poured in and out of a litter tray, or while being kicked by a cat attempting to bury its stools (a natural toileting behaviour of all cats). This generates significant quantities of dust which can cause the following problems:

1. Respiratory Problems
The lungs of both cats and humans are not designed to deal with large quantities of dust over a long period. This is well known problem for humans in occupations which expose them to regular inhalation of dust (e.g. Farmer’s Lung, Miner’s Lung).
Dustiness is a problem even for those with no prior respiratory problems, especially clay dust which cannot be processed out of the lungs. But for cats or owners with asthma or any other type of breathing limitation, the extra load placed on the lungs by using a dusty cat litter should be definitely avoided.

In addition, many types of clay carry additional risk of toxicity, especially those which contain silicon particles. Silicon particles are a known human carcinogen, and case studies have shown that cats with respiratory illnesses have six times the amount of silica in their lungs compared to healthy cats. However tempting it may be to use a cheap clay cat litter, you will be helping to extend the health or even the life of your cat - and perhaps human family members too - by using a dust free cat litter which is not made from clay.

2. Ingestion Problems
When cats use their litter tray they stand on the litter, and may also scratch and kick vigorously following defecation. A dust cat litter will inevitably attach itself to paws and legs, and get in between the cat’s toes. The cat will later on clean itself by licking, resulting in a small quantity of the litter being ingested into the stomach and intestine.

If the litter is of a clumping variety, there can be problems arising from clumped litter dust causing intestinal blockage. But even non clumping dusty litter is a problem, as the intestine cannot break down the clay or easily process it out of the system. For larger, mature cats, this may not be too much of a problem. But for kittens and smaller cats, ingestion of indigestible clay dust on a regular basis should be avoided.

3. Cleaning Problems
Apart from the positional health problems mentioned above dusty cat litter is, well, dusty! A cat exiting a dusty litter tray will leave a trail of dusty footprints after it, and wherever it decides to lie down next - bed, sofa or rug - will have some dust rubbed off its legs. This can create a cleaning nightmare for owners, especially if there are multiple cats in the household.

SmartBedz - A Virtually Dust Free Cat Litter
For all these reasons it is recommended to use a dust free cat litter such as SmartBedz. SmartBedz is made of straw which is processed and formed into super absorbent pellets. During production the dust is extracted, resulting in a virtually dust free cat litter.

It is therefore completely safe for very young kittens to explore with their noses or even nibble at, as it breaks down fast and can easily be processed through the gut.

It can also be easily poured and scooped by adults or children without generating any dust, making cleaning out a much more pleasant, as a well as safer, task.

Can I Afford SmartBedz Dust Free Cat Litter?
Many owners will worry that using a non-clay based cat litter will be too expensive. However using SmartBedz dust free cat litter has been shown to be highly cost effective.
A 5kg bag of SmartBedz dust free cat litter, used in the recommended way, will last one adult cat around 50 days. A similar sized cat will need approximately 35kg of a non clumping clay litter over the same time period, since a clay based litter requires complete emptying far more frequently compared to SmartBedz. Since less SmartBedz is required, this also means less weight to carry home from the shops.

Is SmartBedz Dust Free Cat Litter Difficult to Use?
Conventional clay based litter, especially clumping varieties, are designed with ease of use for the owner in mind. If you are used to using these litters, the prospect of changing to a different type of litter may raise questions about how easy it is to use and keep clean. Using SmartBedz dust free cat litter could not be easier - and in fact may even reduce the amount of cleaning out you need to do.

When SmartBedz pellets come into contact with liquids they swell up, making it easy to see and remove just the wet pellets. Using a scoop with holes allows the smaller dry pellets to fall back into the litter tray. This reduces wastage to an absolute minimum and allows daily spot cleaning to be carried out quickly and easily, along with removal of solids of course.

One of the key features of SmartBedz is its excellent odour control, which is achieved naturally by absorbing and locking away urine from the air, preventing the formation of ammonia which is the main source of unpleasant smells. Provided daily spot cleaning is carried out, as described above, the rest of the litter tray will remain fresh for a long time and may only need a complete change every month - although this will obviously vary according to the number of cats using the tray.

SmartBedz is also easy to dispose of - easier than clay based litter in fact. Since it is an organic product it is fully biodegradable. This means it does not need to be sent to landfill like clay based litter. And because complete clean outs are infrequent, you will have less lifting of heavy rubbish sacks to do. Used SmartBedz can be composted, it can be flushed in small quantities or it can even be burned.

Finally, SmartBedz can also be used as litter for many other animals including dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chickens and more - which may help to simplify your life if you own other types of pets.

Dust Free Cat Litter  - click here to buy Smartbedz organic, natural biodegradable cat litter in our online shop