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How To Dispose Of Cat Litter Without Plastic Bags?

Aside from litter training, proper disposal of cat litter is an important part of being a cat pet owner. Most cat owners use plastic bags to dispose of used litter.

But if you want to do mother nature a big favor, you can explore ways how to dispose of cat litter without plastic bags.

How To Dispose Of Cat Litter Without Plastic Bags

how to dispose of cat litter without plastic bags

It’s possible with just a few hacks. Aside from the money, you’ll save from buying double bags, you can also repurpose the used litter.

Why You Should Consider Ditching The Plastic Bag?

While using plastic bags is the easiest and most convenient way to get rid of cat litter, it’s always great to explore eco-friendly alternatives.

Living low on waste does the environment a big favor while reducing household costs.

Why You Should Consider Ditching The Plastic Bag

At home, we try to limit buying single-use plastic bags when it comes to litter disposal. We often utilize those that are intended for the landfill.

These are plastic wrappers of diapers, tissue rolls, vegetables, and more. We also use large bags of chips, cereal box liners, laundry pod bags, and food takeout paper bags.

If these aren’t available, we dispose of cat litter without the use of plastic bags. It’s easier than you initially thought.

How To Dispose Of Cat Litter Without Plastic Bags?

Are you keen to dispose of cat litter without using plastic bags? If so, the following are great options:

Dump it in your compost pile

If you’re using biodegradable cat litter, the easiest way to dispose of it is to dump it in your compost pile. The poop and litter will decompose and help fertilize your plants.

How To Dispose Of Cat Litter Without Plastic Bags

Just make sure that you cover it well to prevent your curious cat from dumpster diving in the pool of dirt.

Take note that you should only do this if there’s a considerable distance between your growing plants and the compost pile. This is especially true for vegetable and fruit patches.

Flush it (if possible)

For those who don’t have a garden, the plastic-free option is to flush the litter and cat poop in the toilet. HOWEVER, this is only possible if you’re using flushable cat litter.

This type of litter is septic safe and non-clumping.

Take note that clumping litter should never be flushed in the toilet because it can cause a serious blockage.

Over time, the clumping litter will accumulate and solidify as it absorbs moisture, which is something it’s formulated to do.

Invest in biodegradable bags

If it’s really impossible for you to use any of the first methods, you can switch from plastic bags to biodegradable bags.

These are compostable litter bags made of vegetable-based material. It’s as thick and strong as plastic and will not leak or tear easily.

You can toss these biodegradable litter bags into the trash bin or into your compost pile.

While it costs more than plastic, it’s an excellent investment to reduce your cat’s carbon footprint.

Newspaper

If you don’t want to spend on biodegradable bags, you can utilize your old newspaper at home. Simply fold it to make a bag or funnel-like structure.

After that, scoop the used litter into it. You can seal it by folding the opening and covering it with another layer of newspaper.

As long as the DIY packaging won’t unravel easily, you can toss it into the bin.

You can also add the newspaper with cat litter into the compost pile but make sure that your choice of litter is biodegradable.

Switch to organic cat litter

Lastly, consider switching to organic cat litter. Most of these litter products are compostable and potentially safe to flush into the toilet.

Also, most organic cat litters are dust-free, which is an excellent option for families with allergic members.

Aside from that, grass seed is one of the common options here because it looks like a typical litter. It’s easy to scoop and it controls bad odor pretty well.

Grass seed also clumps well and can be tossed straight into your compost pile. However, it’s not safe to flush in the toilet.

You can also try coconut husks, wheat, and pine cobble. However, these options entail some downsides and more maintenance.

How Can I Dispose of Cat Poop In An Apartment?

If you’re living in an apartment, you surely don’t have access to a garden or compost pile. The easiest way to dispose of cat litter is to place it inside a biodegradable bag and put it in the bin.

You should avoid flushing cat litter since it might cause a blockage in your unit. It will also put you in trouble with your landlord.

How Can I Dispose of Cat Poop In An Apartment

A friend of ours uses a cat litter disposal system in his apartment. This device allows him to store cat poop for a week before the need to seal the bag and toss it to the bin.

This way, he manages cat litter in time for the garbage collection in their apartment complex.

Can You Put Cat Litter In The Bin?

Yes, but you should place it in a bag first to prevent it from spilling. This way, the garbage collectors won’t have a hard time dealing with cat litter and poop mess.

Also, it will prevent the cat poop smell from wafting all over the bin, which you’ll have to clean later on.

Can I Flush Silica Litter In The Toilet?

No, you should never flush silica litter in the toilet because it will lead to a major blockage.

Silica litter has very high levels of absorption, which means it will swell and clump inside the pipes.

Over time, you’ll have to pay for plumbing work, which is way more expensive than biodegradable litter bags.

Aside from that, most silica litter isn’t biodegradable. It usually goes to the trash but make sure that you seal it in a bag first.

How Often Should I Change My Cat’s Litter?

Usually, pet owners will change cat litter twice a week. However, this depends on how often your kitty uses the litter box and the number of cats that share it.

For small cats, you may only need to change the litter every week.

Aside from that, your choice of litter will also affect the replacement frequency.

For example, silica litter may last for two to three weeks before it needs to be refilled.

It’s important to watch over the litter level to know if it’s time for a refill. If your cat can’t dig a nice hole in it, it might be time to add more.

How Long Does It Take For Cat Poop To Decompose?

Cat poop usually takes two years to have all the pathogens and organic matter waste away. Temperature, soil type, moisture, and the presence of organisms will impact how fast cat poop will decompose.

Take note that cat poop can contaminate soil so it’s important to dispose of it properly. If you’re planning to compost it, make sure that you place it in a sealed compost pile.

That way, the pathogens will not mix into your plants.

What Are Different Types Of Cat Litter?

Cat litter is essential for cats to practice their natural behavior of burying their feces and urine.  Depending on price, absorbency, clumping ability, and odor control, a number of types of litter are available.

These include clay litter, silica gel litter, pine litter, wheat litter, grass litter, and paper litter.

Apart from that, some people use dirt, moss and wood shavings, and other stuff lying around for this purpose.

However, this is not a long-term solution for the disposal of cat litter.

Conclusion

Knowing how to dispose of cat litter without plastic bags will save you some money.

It will also benefit the environment since there will be one less plastic bag to dump in landfills. 

With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can get rid of cat poop without the mess. 

This article teaches you alternative methods of disposing of cat litter that help reduce plastic pollution. 

Thank you for reading!

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