How to Be An Eco-Friendly Cat Owner

Lately, I’ve been working on being more eco-friendly. I bring reusable bags to the grocery store and I carry my own stainless steel water bottle, but I hadn’t thought about the products I use to care for my cats.

Many of the products needed for cats like litter and food come in big plastic bags, and even the toys are made from harmful materials. It can be hard to balance caring for your cat and reducing your carbon footprint.

Here are a few ways we can all work to be more eco-friendly cat owners.

Tips for Caring for Your Cat and the Environment

Buy Cat Food and Cat Litter in Bulk

Buying cat food and cat litter in bulk is a great option for not just the environment, but your wallet as well. Larger portions of food means less packaging than buying multiple smaller bags, but they also provide you more food for less money. 

Choose Cat Food with the Lowest Carbon Footprint

When it comes to cat food, the packaging is not the only environmental hazard to worry about. It’s also important to understand where and how the food arrived in your hands. For most, that means being shipped through large vehicle transportation, contributing to a larger carbon footprint.

If possible, it’s best to buy food from a local company, minimizing the amount of travel miles from the manufacturer to the store. 

Another great option is to make your own cat food when possible. Cats love raw and cooked meats, as well as veggies. This can also be a great option for cats that have sensitive stomachs, medical issues, or allergies. Consult with your vet to find out the best nutrition plan for your cats age, breed, and size. 

Buy Eco-Friendly Cat Litter

While buying bulk litter is a better option than smaller bags, eco-friendly cat litter may offer a better overall solution. Traditional clay litter required large amounts of resources to produce and can contain toxic materials. 

There are a number of brands that offer more environmentally-friendly options, though they also come with their own drawbacks with odor and effectiveness. Trial and error may be the best choice for figuring out which kind of litter your cat responds to the best.

There is also the option of DIY-ing your own cat litter from old newspapers, sawdust, or wood chips. 

Replace Plastic Litter Bags with Biodegradable Pet Waste Bags

Scooping cat litter often means an excess of plastic bags, and many people opt for lining their litter boxes with plastic litter box liners for easier removal. Making the switch to a biodegradable bags and cat litter liners offer an eco-friendly option, but reusing plastic grocery bags is also a good, as well as cheaper, option.

Remember to never flush cat waste. It may seem like the best option, but toxins from the cat feces can contaminate the water supply. 

Buy Eco-Friendly Cat Toys Made From Recycled Materials

A great option for sustainable cat ownership is being more conscious of the cat toys you are buying. Playtime is essential for cats but many of the toy options are made from plastic and other harmful materials.

Look for cat toys made from recycled or sustainable materials like hemp or bamboo. It’s also important to make sure your toys are durable and will last a long time. This means less resources get used, but it also means more money in your wallet.

Have you implemented any of these eco-friendly ideas? Let me know!