Cat Litter Lung Disease

Silica and Humans

• Traditional cat litter contains silica, which has long been associated with lung disease and cancer in humans, as shown by studies published in such journals as "Chest" and "Environmental Health Perspectives."

Silica and Your Cat

• The study "Detection of Silica Particles in Lung Wash Fluid from Cats With and Without Respiratory Disease" concludes that this same silica is harmful to cats and irritates their respiratory systems. When fresh litter is poured into the litter box, a cloud of dust is raised. These are tiny particles of silica, which then float about in the environment of your home. It does not matter what clay litter is used, crystalline silica is contained in all of them.

Prevention/Solution

• There are many environmentally safe alternatives to the use of clay litter, although none are quite as successful at preventing odor. An old reliable substitute is torn newspaper. Shredded newspaper does not track, is completely biodegradable, and is readily available. It does not prevent odors in the house, but sprinkling a small amount of baking soda across the bottom of the litter pan before you lay down the newspapers can be helpful.

Other Alternatives

• Ground corncobs are natural and unprocessed and are efficient as cat litter. They have no odor, are absorbent, produce less dust than clay, and can be flushed. Other alternative fillers for feline hygiene are plant-based and include oat hulls, corn husks, wheat grass, crushed walnut shells and alfalfa.

Benefits

• Changing to one of these alternative litters can improve the home environment, resulting in fewer breathing problems, less sneezing, and a much more comfortable kitty.

Consideration

• It is helpful to mix the new material in with your cat's regular litter for a week or two before switching completely. This will help prevent litter box rejection by your cat, who may be particular and cautious about new environments.