Being a Sustainable Cat Owner

If you know me personally or have seen my Instagram stories or posts of my cats, you know that I am definitely THAT cat lady and have been waiting for the opportune moment to talk about them... What better way to do that by talking sustainability with owning a cat.

I have three adorable (devil) felines each with their own unique personalities. Callisto, white/orange medium haired is a huge spaz and has recently had a series of health problems that required special food and attention. Khaleesi, tabby-looking with a racoon tail is the cuddliest and loves the sunshine and (sometimes) belly rubs. Finally, Kitty is a short tailed black cat who honestly, is the most normal. She loves being on her own and can make a nest out of any blanket or soft article of clothing.

Now that we've gotten past the introductions, how can you as a responsible peace-keeping owner be more sustainable with your feline friends? As someone who's always just bought Tidy Cats and bags of Blue Buffalo food, I never thought about how much waste goes into daily cat owning. Eric, my boyfriend, recently asked me how we can make a switch to more sustainable cat products (I was so happy to hear it, guys!) and I figured others would want to know of the research I found as well. So what sort of switches can you make to turn your wasteful felines into an eco loving kitty?

For starters, cat litter is a huge eco waster, especially when it comes to clay litter. According to a blog post by Humboldt Pet Supply "Clay-based litter is the worst-case scenario when it comes environmental impact. The clay used for the litter is obtained through strip mining, an extremely deleterious process that destroys ecosystems and pollutes neighboring water sources." There is also a huge chance that the Sodium Bentonite from the litter is harming your cat from the dangerous dust and fumes that surface any time the clay is moved around. The best option for both your feline and the environment is plant-based litter options such as cedar chips, pine pellets, wheat, beet pulp, and other biodegradable substances. You can find a surprisingly number of these products at your local pet store or through online services like Amazon. Two that have topped the charts of eco-friendly litters are sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat All-Natural Clumping Cat Litter and ökocat Super Soft Natural Wood Clumping Litter both made with biodegradable materials. If clay litter is your only option, consider going to Petco where they have bulk bins of litter. You purchase the container once and bring it back to refill. If you're looking for ways to dispose of the litter sustainably, here are two options from The Zero Waste Pet:

1. Compost. If you can swing it, this is the best route to take. Again, if you’re going to include your cat’s waste, you need to ensure your compost heats to over 145°F. If you can’t ensure that, follow step two below for waste removal and compost the remaining biodegradable litter away from edible plants and use for decorative gardens.

2. Scoop and toss. This is what we do and though it’s not ideal, it’s often the single best option available. Scoop into a biodegradable pickup bag (we use these or these) and toss in your curbside garbage. When you change the litter in the box, which we do every 30 days, simply empty into newspaper, wrap, and toss in your trash bin.

No matter how "natural" Blue Buffalo or Purina shouts from the rooftops, major companies in the giant cat food industry are not sustainable or even natural in the slightest. Research done by TheFluffyKitty.com shows that there are several factors to eco-friendly pet food such as the following:

Ethics & animal welfare. How/where is the meat made? Are “rendering plants” ethical? Does the cat food company test on animals? Are the manufacturers enforcing unpaid human labor? (Read investigation into Simmon’s Foods Inc. here).

Ingredients. What’s exactly in regular pet food? How are the ingredients produced and sourced?

Carbon output. How many “food miles” does your cat food rank up?

Packaging. Which brands use plastic packaging vs. brands who use recyclable/recycled packaging?

Factory Farms. Is your cat food a product of factory farms, unsustainable fishing, etc.?

Organic vs. Non-Organic. Were pesticides or hormones used during production? Did the livestock have freedom of movement?

Regulation/Certification. With no government regulation in place, except for some States, how is pet food controlled, regulated, tested for quality control? Do brands have certification to backup their claims?

Transparency. Sneaky marketing techniques, unclear wording, etc. What should consumers believe and not believe?

There are several ways to have your cat's diet go green. Here are just a few with one recommendation for someone who might have a cat with a very specific diet.

• Choose flavors like chicken over beef or pork. Chicken takes less resources like water to produce. You can also look for seafood that is sustainably harvested as tuna is overfarmed. Flavors like sardines or anchovies are good substitutes for tuna.

• Find companies that promote organic ingredients. All the Best Pet Care has a great list of companies that are conscientiously-sourced when it comes to pet food.

• Buy local. In Atlanta, there are several local pet shops who make their own pet food using quality ingredients. Consider buying locally to support the small business and provide your kitty's food with ingredients they deserve.

• If you have a cat like Callisto who requires a very special diet, make sure to see if cans are an option so it's easy to recycle. Luckily, his comes in small or larger cans and I try my best to get the larger ones to reduce less recycling. The goal is to be as sustainable as possible but the health of your feline is more important than being completely zero waste/self sustaining.

Finally toys - cat toys are expensive and more often than not contain an insane amount of plastic that heads to the landfill once kitty is done with them. Think of making your own or buying second hand. I found my last few scratching posts beside a dumpster and just sprayed for fleas and vacuumed it up - good as new! If you would prefer to not bring something like that in to your home, consider making your own scratching post out of twine and wood. I promise you, your cat will never know the difference. Here's a simple DIY to follow if you're considering this option. For my cats, a simple Amazon box and hair ties do wonders... they don't always need the super sparkly toy to be content. Luckily, (some) cats can be easy pleasers.

Do you have other tips for turning your kitty into a sustainability king/queen? Maybe you want to share sustainability tips for dogs or other animals? If you're interested in covering that, email me at consciouslyeco@gmail.com.

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash