Tip of the Day - Make Your Own Kitty Litter
My cat is very patient when it comes to changes in her kitty litter. I don’t even have to do the thing where you add a percentage of the new litter to the old litter and up the percentage until you’ve totally switched over. Whatever I put in the litter box, she’ll use. So I’ve been testing out a lot of different natural kitty litters, and honestly, I don’t like most of them.
I’ve read horrible things about the chemicals that go into conventional clumping litters and the damaging effects of clay mining on the environment, so I’m not about to go back to clay litter. I like Feline Pine pellet litter, but we moved the kitty litter into the bathroom recently, and I’ve noticed that the cat kicks the pellets out of the box constantly. The pellets are too big for my little Dirt Devil to pick up, so I have to haul out the big vacuum every day, and I just don’t have the patience for that.
I came across a couple of litters made from recycled newspaper, but the cheapskate in me couldn’t justify paying for recycled newspaper when I have plenty of my own.
I started out using newspaper shredded in my paper shredder, but there were two problems.
- I didn’t like the idea of the ink getting on my cat’s paws. It just didn’t seem healthy.
- She tracked strips of paper everywhere like she was constantly throwing a kitty ticker tape parade.
So after a week or so of brainstorming, I came up with this recipe for homemade kitty litter.
- Shred newspaper in a paper shredder. I collect the shredded paper in an unused litter box.
- Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a few squirts gentle, biodegradable dish soap (like Ecover). The shredded paper takes on a cooked oatmeal consistency. The paper won’t come completely clean, but the water will turn grey.
- Drain the water (an old colander works wonders) and repeat the soaking process minus the soap.
- Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the wet paper. Knead it in to the mixture (you might want to wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands).
- Squeeze the remaining moisture out until it’s as dry as you can get it.
- Crumble over a screen and leave to dry (it takes a few days).
Once it’s dry, I put about an inch and a half to two inches of the paper crumbles in the litter box, scoop solids daily and change it once a week. It takes about a half an hour to 45 minutes to make a 2-3 week supply of litter, and it’s kind of fun, in an elementary school art project way.
With the exception of a few cents worth of baking soda, it’s free. I use the circular newspapers and Pennysavers (make sure to remove staples) that come to our house. The baking soda does a good job of controlling odor, and it doesn’t track very much. I think it actually works better than most of the store bought products I’ve tried.
Once the temperatures are no longer arctic here, I plan to do this outside and use the wastewater to water my lawn.
Here’s how it starts out.
And here’s what the finished product looks like.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Ingenious! Seriously, that’s pretty cool. You really wanted a solution to your problem, so you invented it. Awesome.
One thing: all this trouble just so your cat can take a crap? Can’t you train a cat to use the toilet or something?
February 21st, 2008 at 1:05 am
I thought about training her to use the toilet. I know there are cats that do that — there’s even a kit for it. But my cat only has three legs, so I think it might be hard for her.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Amazing work,nice step by step explanation of how to make cat litter. I will certainly try this a home. I have to train my cat so that it will get used to this cat litter, thank you.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
[…] Allie’s Answers writes about making your own cat liter. […]
February 26th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
[…] make your own kitty litter post is included in today’s Festival of Frugality at No Credit Needed, and Make it From […]
February 29th, 2008 at 3:41 am
[…] at Allie’s Answers was looking for an alternative to store-bought kitty litter. She writes: “I’ve read horrible things about the chemicals that go into conventional clumping […]
February 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I don’t have a cat. I’m rather curious if you could also shred junk mail like credit card offers, cash advance checks and use that in place of the newspapers or with it.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Hi Marlene. That’s a great question.
I have tried scrap paper, junk mail, etc. It’s not as absorbent as newsprint, but if you do maybe 30% junk mail paper and use newsprint for the rest it really shouldn’t be an issue. I would make sure that envelope glue and other adhesives aren’t included in the mix when you shred though.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Very cool, Allie. I’m going to try this. I wonder about the ink going down the drain, though. Is that ok? P.S. I love your logo at the top of the page. How did you make it?
March 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Hi Sherri! I just checked out your pictures! They’re great!
That’s a good question about the ink. To be honest, I don’t really know, but I’m guessing it’s still better than all the chemicals involved in traditional clumping litter, and it’s better than the paper ending up in a landfill.
My husband designed the site. I think he used an image from iStock.com to make the logo.
March 8th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Do you throw away the used litter in the garbage afterward? I know that baking soda is biodegradeble, but is it eco frienldy to throw it away?
Whats the best way to throw it away??
Im doing a project for science class on shrinking our ecological footprint and it would really help!! Thanks so much!1=!
March 14th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Hi Morgan,
If your cat has been tested for parasites, and toxo and the results are clean, it’s probably okay to compost the litter, although I wouldn’t use it veggies or herbs or any plant you intend to eat.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
[…] I posted my make your own kitty litter recipe a few weeks ago, Sherri asked if there were issues with the ink from the washed newspapers going […]
March 19th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Try calling your newspaper to ask if they use soya based inks for their papers. I did and they said all their papers use soya based inks. That’s a relief cos prior to my calling, my cats had already been using newspaper for over 10 years.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
What a great idea. I have a question. Does the water have to be boiling? I was trying to think mass quantities ( I work for a shelter and this would be so great financially for us) and our bath tub does not produce boiling water. Thanks Allie.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Nope! It doesn’t require boiling water. I use warm water just because it’s more pleasant to keep my hands submerged in, but even cold water would probably work just fine.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Just found this idea and have been trying it out for a couple of weeks now - a lifesaver! Here in India it’s very difficult to get the commercial cat litter and with the sun (and heat!) here this ‘D-I-Y’ version of cat litter works wonders.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Ian — Thanks so much for letting me know how it’s working for you! I’m glad it’s helping!
April 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for showing this procedure. Will it clog our closets ?
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Allie, this is brilliant! I’ve been using the pine litter with my three cats, but composting the pine seems to be an issue, since it absorbs the urine and smells to high heaven!
With this newspaper litter, have you found that it absorbs the urine smell, and does it compost well? What about the ink on their little paws, is that still an issue?
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Hi Kim!
The baking soda seems to do a great job with the odor. I recently tried out a commercial line of recycled paper litter, and I think this recipe works much better.
It’ll compost like regular shredded paper, but you aren’t supposed to use cat waste compost veggies, and you should get your cat tested for toxo, etc.
The ink hasn’t been an issue — washing it does the trick!
April 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I’ve been seeking answers to the catbox conundrum too. An alternative, here’s what I came up with. The Duh-lightbulb moment came when I was reading another horrible Lillian Jackson Braun “mystery” and she referred to the litter pan as a SAND box. Bing!
I’ve sewn a couple of drawstring bags big enough to use for catpan liners, using some sturdy but very lightweight, not particularly absorbent old sheers. I set a section of newspaper in the bottom of the catbox, and then set the liner on top and draw the string tight underneath the box (next time I might try elastic). I then fill the liner bag about 1/3 with sand. Every couple of days I scoop the litter and replace the newspaper. I am planning to rinse, dry and reuse the sand right in its liner bag, but even if I throw it in the compost, a bag of play sand is only about $3 and will last a month, vs. $50 or more for the commercial stuff (we have three indoor cats). I put the used newspaper in the compost, and I’m composting the cat poo as well. I’m not sure if it could be flushed; there is very little sand per flush but over time I could see it possibly building up somewhere.
So far it’s a raging success. The cats seem to like it, I’m not experiencing anywhere near the odor I had with the other alternatives, and the heaviness of the sand means less stuff gets tracked out of the box.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Edited to Add: The other bonus to this system is that it is SO easy to clean up. Because the liner bag is completely flexible and the urine is mostly soaked up by the newspaper (which is out of reach of the cats, so just a solid mass of paper to lift out and no ink issue), there is no more scraping the sides of the box! Wahoo!! - I think there is less odor because most of the urine is underneath the sand, but thanks for the baking soda trick, that should eliminate any remaining odor.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Hmmmm, I think I may try this out in place of the bedding I use for my rats! It looks almost exactly like the bedding I buy. If that is the case, this is amazing! I already use sheets of newspaper in the bottom of the cage with a little baking soda, so I don’t see that it would bring any new items into the picture.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I have just finished making my first batch of newspaper kitty litter. It’s now in the sun, spread out on a window screen which I balanced between two rickety folding chairs. I am hoping no squirrels come knock the whole thing over and I am hoping it dries by the time my two foster kittens start eliminating on their own and are ready to move on to The Box & their first litter.
I am intrigued with Karen’s system. It sounds less complicated than shredding newspaper and would like to try it. But se said she used sheers. Did she mean sheets? Help!
April 30th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Hi Axelle,
Thanks for your comment! I’m so glad you’re giving it a try!
I think Karen meant sheets.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Axelle, I think Karen’s sheers means sheer curtains.
I am so lazy and only one cat. Had thought of paper shredder - thanks Allie and Karen too for ideas. I really should do something. Not as much litter use now, because kitty goes outside in warm weather.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:27 am
What about automatic litter boxes? I have one that scoops automatically every time my kitty uses the box. I live in a small apt, so litter dust gets on everything, which is something I’d like to avoid. Cost savings is a plus, too. How small are the bits of newspaper? From the image above, they appear too large for the rake, which would mean I’d be scooping all the newspaper clumps in addition to kitty’s waste.
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:43 am
You can make the litter clumps smaller by breaking them up more. The stuff that settles to the bottom of the batch is about the same size as regular litter, but it would take a little work to break it down like that. I’m almost thinking a blender or something might do the trick, but I’m pretty sure you’d ruin your blender.
I wonder if Karen’s sand idea would work better for an automatic litter box.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I was thinking about Karen’s idea also, except the rake rides along a track in the side of the box, which means the fabric could only be on the box bottom. That pretty much defeats the idea of easy cleanup.
How clumpy is the newspaper litter as it’s drying? Would it be easier to break it apart then or wait until dry?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
We don’t get the paper, would this work with paper grocery bags?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I think it would. And you wouldn’t have to worry the ink.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
We have 3 mostly indoor cats (dogs outside who like to chase them). I’ve read this discussion so far and am intrigued, and like the drawstring bag suggestion as well. We have a paper shredder and could use the promo newspapers that land in the mailbox. The commercial litter I have liked most is wheat, expensive but not as much of a composting challenge as pine. Since we have a lot of reedy weeds that are standing all over the place, I thought I might experiment with chopping/shredding those and find out if they work as a substitute for the wheat product. Will keep you posted when I have info. Possible this wheat product is the “spent” wheat, and if so, would be very good in compost. Does anyone know about that?
May 21st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Hi, I just got a kitten and want to try this. I live in Kathmandu Nepal and we don’t have a paper shredder. Can I just cut the paper into strips? I know it takes longer. Do they have to be that small to work? Thanx for the help. We can’t get cat litter here and I want this kitten to be an indoors cat. I tried sand and baking soda but it’s horrible.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I think you could cut or tear the paper into small strips and it would still work. Certainly time consuming, but it’s something you could do while having a chat with a friend or something.
I hope it works for you!
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Allie:
I think your recipe is a great idea and a wonderful project for kids. I run a website for kids called The Green Guide for Kids and am working on a manuscript of the same name. I would love to include your recipe with your permission in my book. I would of course give you full credit!
Thanks your great site,
Deirdre
June 4th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Good stuff , will try in one tray ( two used)and see if cats like it . If not will use with gerbils.
June 7th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Hi Allie,
I came across your site looking for a way to make self-made cat litter from paper. What you came up with sounds very easy and a perfect alternative to clay litters. I’m going to try it, because right now I use clay litter for my two cats and it’s awful. I hate the dust and it gets all over the carpet. Another reason why I was searching for a way to make cat litter was because I was doing some research on sodium bentonite. I found out that maybe this is why one of my cats keeps getting urinary tract infections. I was reading when this stuff is inhaled, the particles can take moisture away from inside the cat’s body. This scared me. I didn’t know about sodium bentonite before. And also, I’ve been having trouble breathing and having chest pains lately. I’m thinking it’s from the cat litter.
I’ve used Feline Pine before, and liked it, but the pellets seemed to hard from the cats. I’ve used Swheat before, but I hated the smell, and the way it clumped the urine. I’ve also just used shredded newspaper, which was great for the cats, but smelled really bad.
For right now, I’m going to get a refund on the last unused bag of clay cat litter I have and try your “recipe” out. Thanks so much for sharing!
June 8th, 2008 at 2:19 am
thank you!!! i spend over 100 dollars on this sort of litter for my pig every month and am soooo excited to start making my own. and you even get the ink out, amazing.
June 28th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Love your idea.Just found out about your website so couldn’t have responded sooner. Years ago my husband taught one of our cats to use the toilet, let me tell you it worked very well, as a matter of fact he wrote a paper for a college English class on the method and the comment from his istructor “Haven’t you got anything else to do with your time” made us
think that the old boy never had to clean out a litter box! If my husband had marketed the idea he could have made a large sum, someone else did just that. Who knows!
July 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am
At last you hear me cry! Cant wait to try this method of kitty litter! Almost ready to start just need some more newspaper! I have three house cats and 6 kittens ( 7 days old ) They all will be using this litter! I have a small tip to add. I have to have a couple of litter trays and find them hard to place as they are rather large. I found a long deep plant pot and put it along side my washing machine. Its very private for them and they seem to use this one more than the others. Hope this helps someone!