Flushable cat litter is made of natural ingredients and designed so that it can be easily flushed down any toilet. Common cat litter materials, like clay, are not flushable because the material will expand up to 15 times its dry size when combined with water. Because of this, it’s not safe for your pipes.

There are many natural litter materials that don’t expand but instead break down very easily when immersed in water, making them safe for your plumbing. Some of the materials that can be flushed come from plants such as wheat, corn, or tofu.

Although these materials are labeled as safe to flush, does this mean you should? More on that later.

Types Of Flushable Cat Litters

The specific kind of cat litter you use will depend partially on the preference of your cat. Luckily, there are several flushable cat litter types that you can experiment with.

Below is a list of all the natural cat litter on the market.

Corn Cat Litter

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Corn cat litter has many benefits, including being flushable due to its organic composition. Corn litter can be made in a few ways, with compressed corn, whole kernel corn, or corn pulp depending on the brand you buy.

While it may not sound like a big consideration which kind you use, your cat may react to each corn litter type differently since they will all feel slightly different on their feet. Some cats don’t like litter that’s harder on the feet and because of this may avoid using the litter box altogether.

With that said, all of these options are flushable as well as being completely natural, and biodegradable. You can compost this litter as well to make high-quality soil.

Wheat Cat Litter

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Wheat litter is similar to corn in a lot of ways. Unlike other natural litter materials, wheat cat litter will naturally form clumps when combined with liquid making it easy to clean and easy to dispose of.

Since this litter is also completely natural, it won’t pose any harm to your pipes if you flush it directly down the toilet for a quick cleanup.

Wood Cat Litter

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Wood litter can be made in a few different ways. It can be made up of sawdust, shavings, or reclaimed wood. The catch here is, it cannot have been treated with chemical sealants or it will not serve as an effective litter or be flushable.

Since wood naturally has a nice earthy scent, it’s a great option for sealing in odor before you’re able to flush it down the toilet.

Paper Cat Litter

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This sustainable litter type is made from post-consumer paper (like newspaper) that’s then compressed into soft pellets that absorb urine. While most natural litter doesn’t have additives, paper litter often has baking soda added to help with odor.

Since this litter is made of just paper and baking soda, it can easily be flushed down the toilet just as you’d flush toilet paper! This makes for an easy clean up process and an environmentally conscious litter purchase.

Tofu Cat Litter

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Another interesting material that cat litter can be made of is tofu. This litter is made from beans and is compressed into pellets. Since it’s completely natural and biodegradable it can be flushed down the toilet with no problems.

Tofu litter is also a great low-dust option ensuring your toilet isn’t covered in litter particles. This litter will clump but will not expand as clay litter does in the clumping process.

Should You Buy Flushable Cat Litter?

You should buy flushable cat litter if you like the idea of an easy clean up. While there are many benefits to flushable cat litter, no cat litter is perfect or free of downfalls.

To help you decide if a flushable litter is for you, check out all the pros and cons below.

Benefits of flushable Cat Litter:

There are some real benefits to being able to flush litter down the toilet, the first being convenience. If all the litter is going straight into the toilet, this reduces the amount of trash being created and gets rid of lingering odors faster.

Flushable cat litter is a better choice for those who are trying to be environmentally sustainable. Now you won’t need to use plastic bags to throw out litter and won’t be sending high volumes of litter to the landfill every week.

By using natural flushable litter, you’re also reducing the demand for clay litter which is obtained in a very environmentally damaging way. To collect clay, land has to be strip mined where the top layer of soil and rock are removed from the land to be able to access the clay under the surface. This majorly disrupts ecosystems and is a huge contributor to water pollution.

Since flushable litters are often made from post-consumer products and food waste, they have much less impact on the environment and can continue providing nutrients to the environment when composted and reused for planting.

With natural materials, you won’t have to worry much about dust or litter tracking through your home. With less dust produced your cat won’t ingest as much litter when grooming themselves, and your home will stay cleaner. This is also a major benefit for those with dust allergies.

Disadvantages of Flushable Cat Litter:

Flushable litter can be hard on your pipes, making it less flushable than advertised. Some water saving toilets will not provide enough water with each flush to fully carry down cat litter. This has been known to cause blockages in some homes.

It’s recommended to only flush litter clumps that contain urine as cat feces have harmful pollutants like Toxoplasma gondii.

If cat feces makes its way into a water treatment system, it can be difficult to completely neutralize. If a lot of cat poop makes its way into a water treatment system, all the Toxoplasma gondii won’t be killed which can circulate back into the human water system, this can cause extreme illness.

Cat poop flushed down the toilet can also impact wildlife in the area that relies on water systems. This can cause death in water plants as well as fish or water living mammals. With such an extreme impact, be sure you’re minimizing the amount of fecal matter that’s getting into your toilet.

The types of litter that can be flushed can also pose minor health concerns to your cat. Wheat and corn litter can cause allergies as well as the development of fungi from the heating of the material. This can be a huge downfall to the litter, especially for cats with sensitive systems.

Flushable natural litter has a higher price point than your typical clay litter. Many consumers are able to justify this because natural litter doesn’t need to be changed out as often. A bag of natural litter will usually last longer than traditional litter.

Buying Guide For Flushable Cat Litter

So you’ve decided to give flushable cat litter a go. Use this buying guide below to help finalize your decision.

Septic Safe

Take a look at your toilet and plumbing system as a whole. If you have a septic tank, it may be in your best interest to skip flushable litter altogether as it may end up causing more trouble than it’s worth for your system.

If you are eager to give it a go, be sure to read reviews online to confirm that it has worked for others who have septic systems. This will help you to determine the right substrate for easy flushing.

Clumping Or Non-Clumping

If you’re in the 63% of cat owners who opt for litter that clumps, then this is a major consideration before choosing just any natural litter substrate.

Not all flushable litters clump in fact, some will simply disintegrate into a wet patch that can be scooped up. If you’re after a clumping flushable litter these brands will provide clumping the best clumping in the range.

While certain substrates usually clump, not all brands are the same based on their additives. Stay clear of any brands that don’t mention clumping at all.

Non-clumping flushable cat litter usually isn’t preferred by cat parents as it makes it very difficult to clean. It’s also difficult to tell where your cat has done its business and you could be quite literally flushing money down the drain.

Price

The average price of a flushable cat litter is about $20 per bag. While flushable cat litter can be pricey, you should consider the frequency at which you have to clean your current litter. Clay litter requires more frequent cleaning and needs to get changed out completely every one or two weeks. Alternatively, natural litter can be cleaned out once per month.

Therefore, while it’s more expensive, it will last you longer. If you’re already sold on natural litter, keep in mind that there’s a huge variety of options available in a varying price range.

Health Concerns

Before switching litter, always get your cat tested for allergies or sensitivities. If your cat has a sensitivity to corn, assume they will likely also be allergic to wheat as these litter substrates are very similar.

By testing for allergies ahead of time you’ll save money and preserve your cat’s health.

Sustainability

Some materials are more environmentally conscious than others due to the way they’re harvested. Since most natural litter is obtained through agricultural waste or post-consumer products, they’re always going to be more eco-friendly than clay or synthetic options.

However, some natural products are more sustainable than others. This may not be a consideration to everyone, but is something to keep in mind for those looking to lessen their impact on the planet.

Convenience

Convenience is a huge consideration as not every litter will be available near you. If you find a litter you love, but it’s only available for online order, it may not be the best option for you. Try to find a litter that is both convenient to purchase and convenient to clean.

Should You Flush Flushable Cat Litter?

A flushable cat litter may seem like a good idea but, it’s recommended not to flush any cat feces down the toilet. It can cause problems with your plumbing and septic system, clog pipes, and damage the environment.

The biggest downfall to flushable litter is how it can impact your pipes. While many litter brands are advertised as flushable, certain systems may not be able to handle the material.

Septic systems are very touchy and can get backed up very easily, so those operating on a septic tank should think twice about flushing any litter or material they use.

Additionally, once you’ve purchased a flushable litter, take it slow. Test it out with a small amount of litter first to be sure your toilet doesn’t instantly get backed up.

Just because packaging states that something is flushable, doesn’t mean that it will always go down smoothly or be kind on your plumbing. Consider if flushing is really your best option or if it’s just something to do every once in a while when you’re desperate.

How Can I Dispose of Natural Litter?

A great option is composting. By buying a compost bin or creating a compost station outside, you can dump all used litter into your compost and allow it to break down into the soil. Once it’s done processing, you’ll be able to use it to pot plants, feed your garden, or even sell it as high-quality soil!

Compost can come in handy for so many things and it takes the nutrients of the litter and puts it right back into the earth, creating a low-waste and sustainable system.

If you don’t want to flush your litter all the time due to concern about your plumbing and the environment, there are plenty of other ways you can dispose of natural litter that doesn’t contribute to landfills and additional garbage buildup.

Best Flushable Cat Litter

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Conclusion On Flushable Cat Litters

While flushable cat litter is a very convenient option, it may not be in your best interest to flush your litter all the time.

This is highly dependent on what kind of plumbing you have; however, there are many other ways you can dispose of natural litter. By opting for flushable litter, you get several other benefits like sustainability and a reduction of dust and waste in your home.

Last update on 2023-04-01 at 14:04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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What Is Flushable Cat Litter?