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How litter dust affects your and your cat’s health
When you pour litter into the tray or your cat starts digging, dust is inevitably kicked into the air. These fine dust particles may cause some sneezing or light eye irritation, which usually disappears within minutes. If the dust however makes in into the lungs, it can lead to coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and in the long run, it may cause more severe issues. Therefore, it’s better to prevent inhaling litter dust.
How to prevent cat litter-related illness
Avoid clay-based litter
Clay-based litters aren’t just prone to giving off dust, they contain two substances that are harmful when inhaled: sodium bentonite and crystalline silica.
Most clay-based clumping litters use a clumping agent called sodium bentonite. When this substance comes into contact with moisture, it absorbs the liquid and can swell up to 15 times its original size. While this property is great for forming firm clumps in your cat’s litter box, it can also lead to health issues when inhaled by you or your cat. These include lung disease and in rare cases even kidney problems.
In addition to sodium bentonite, clay litters contain a natural mineral called crystalline silica. This mineral can be found in fine litter dust and is therefore often inhaled. Unfortunately, long-term exposure to crystalline silica can cause a wide range of health issues, including respiratory inflammation in cats. More research has been done on the effect on humans, which include kidney issues, silicosis and even cancer.
Important! Crystalline silica shouldn’t be confused with silica cat litter. Silica cat litter is made from amorphous silica, which is very different from crystalline silica, and does not harm you or your cat.
Go for dust-free litter
The best and easiest solution to get rid of litter box dust is definitely to switch to dust-free litter like Catit’s Go Natural clumping cat litter. Catit Go Natural cat litters are made with natural ingredients and are up to 99.9% dust-free to allow your cat to breathe easily. Make sure to explore the range!
Ventilate every room that has a litter box
Too often, litter boxes are placed in cramped, poorly ventilated spaces. Instead, position your cat’s litter box in a well-ventilated room to help reduce the risk of illnesses related to cat litter dust. If that’s not possible, be sure to air out the room frequently.
Clean litter box regularly to prevent buildup of dust
As litter pellets rub against each other, small dust particles break off. Some of these particles become airborne and might be inhaled, while others settle at the bottom of the litter box. To minimize your and your cat’s exposure to litter dust, make sure to clean the box regularly. This helps prevent dust from building up at the bottom and stops your cat from digging deep enough to kick it into the air.
