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