Conference misery::feline

333.0. "RECYCLE CLAY KITTY LITTER" by FORTSC::WILDE (why am I not yet a dragon?) Wed Jul 15 1992 16:07

okay, I've now tested my process enough to know it works...so, I'm posting
this information for all cat owners with deep ecological concerns, a
strong back, and approx. 2 - 4 hours a week to spend devoted to

		RECYCLING YOUR CLAY-BASED KITTY LITTER

Yes, it works.  I have devised a method to sterilize and reuse the litter.
I spent the time to work this out because the amount of litter going into
land-fills is becoming a real problem for towns or cities of any size.
Now, this method will also greatly reduce the amount of kitty litter you
must buy...however, it requires several days of consistent sunlight - ergo,
we won't recyle around here during the rainy season and it may not be
possible in areas with much rain.

The equipment you need (some of which I don't have the right size of yet):

	1 jumbo cat box - plastic

	1 smaller cat box (that will fit inside the jumbo model)
	   with the bottom cut out.  Attach two layers of fiber-glass
	   small-mesh screening over the opening by using slats of
	   wood and screws on the inside and outside of the cat box,
	   trapping the screen between the inside of the box and the
	   wood slats and screwing the screws through the plastic of
	   the cat box to engage the slats on the outside of the
	   cat box.  This will distribute the drag on the screening
	   and the cat box so that you can put the used litter into
	   this container (fill less than 1/3 full - wet litter is
	   HEAVY!)

	1 gallon clorox ( several weeks worth of sterilization)

	1 spray bottle filled with pure Nature's Miracle or other
	enzyme cleaner.

	a drying rack made of a sturdy wood frame (I guess a good
	size for a three cat box household would be approx. 4 feet
	long by 2 - 3 feet wide. Mine is too small right now)..
	Attach by the wood slat and screw method, two layers of
	the fine-mesh fiberglass screening material, or one layer
	of the fiberglass screening lined on the "outside" by the
	finest mesh metal screening you can find.  Prop the drying
	rack off the ground on sturdy cement bricks placed to keep
	it level and in place.

	enough fiberglass screening to cover the whole drying rack
	to keep out night visitors.

	all wood surfaces should be treated with deck sealant to
	protect them from water and thoroughly dried prior to use.

You will sterilize the used litter (only the clay type - all solid
waste removed) by placing it in the small, screen-bottomed litter
box and then placing the whole litter box into the jumbo box which
is filled with 4 gallons of water and 3.33 cups of clorox.  No, this
is not too strong because the sun will also cure the litter for
days.  I checked with my vet on this and she recommends a strong
20:1 water to bleach solution.  Let the litter sit in the solution for
a few minutes and then pull the loaded strainer out of the solution,
propping the box sideways over the jumbo box in order to drain back
into the jumbo box for 5 - 8 minutes.  Move the sterilized litter
to the drying rack and spread the wet litter as thin as possible,
misting very well with Nature's Miracle.  Repeat until all litter is
processed.  Cover with the screening to protect the litter.  Leave
to dry thoroughly - up to 7 days if possible.  Turn and spread the
litter around daily.  It will not smell of cat urine, nor will it
smell of clorox.  The clorox and the sun will kill any bacteria by
the time the litter is dry.

Reuse just as you would any litter...you will lose some to dissolving
in the solution, so plan on having to top off the litter with new
each week - approx. 3 pounds / week is my estimate for 3 big boxes.
Over time, you may feel the need to discard and start over - maybe
once a month or so, but so far, the cats are happy and our noses are
happy.  

I do not recommend this method for outdoor/indoor cats as I do not know
if this treatment will protect from parasites and cats that go outside
are at CONSTANT risk for parasitic infestation.  Indoor-only cat households
should have no problems with this process.

    Do most litters say whether or not they are clay-based?  This sounds
    like a great money- and environment- saving idea!!  Also, would this
    work on the clumping type litter, or is this not a clay litter?
    
    Thanks,
    Michelle

the clumping type of litter is not clay-based and I have never used it
due to personal skepticism.  I know that it works for clay litters - the
old-fashioned non-clumping tidy cat stuff.

I am finding that I have to add a little more each week I recycle - it
gets crushed fine enough to drop through my screening - but, with better
screening, it will be less loss.

It is working so far - no complaints from the fur-faces - the final critics
in my house.

re: ecology....our garbage bill will start reflecting what we throw away,
no more flat fee.  As such, this is going to save us money as well as be
ecologically sound...many others may find it worthwhile to do this as
much as possible for the same reason.

    one other question:
    
    I was wondering how you dispose of the Clorox solution after rinsing
    the litter.  I live in an apartment, and I'm not sure I'd want to flush
    that solution down the drain, or throw it on the lawn.
    
    Thanks,
    Michelle

    This is why I'm glad I can use the horse shavings for
    litterbox filler-I can use 3/4 less clay litter.....we just 
    take it out back with the manure, and it bio-degrades back into soil!
    
    Lynne

re: what to do with the clorox solution.  

I add 4 gallons additional water to turn it into a harmless - solution...and I
wash down the driveway with it.  I know it's harmless because the weeds 
in the driveway cracks are still growing happily....unfortunately.