The Scoop On Cat Litter: Is It Safe?

It wasn't until after World War II that people began to consider cats as exclusively indoor pets. If there was an enclosed cat litter box at all, it probably contained dirt, shredded newspapers or ash. The litter box was ripe, so to speak, for improvement.

Edward Lowe sold industrial absorbents designed to sop up spilled oil and chemicals. He offered a bagful to his friend to try out on her cat, and the results were so impressive that they began bagging and selling the stuff. They coined the term "kitty litter."

Forty years later, "scoopable" litters arrived. Used properly, they were less stinky and lasted longer. Almost instantly, they ruled the market.

Or did they? Clumping litter works because it is extremely absorbent: it draws fifteen times its weight in moisture. It's scoopable because it becomes sticky when wet. But when it's dry, it's dusty, and that made people nervous.

Some vets became concerned that the toxic, sticky dust was coating kitty lungs and digestive tracts, drawing out so much moisture as to risk dehydration and kidney problems. It sticks to paws, so cats were ingesting it while grooming. Kittens would eat it too, just because they're kittens. And dogs--well, yuck. Many conservative pet owners switched back to regular litter. (To date, no serious study has proven anything.)