Cleaning the Litter Box/No Plastic Bags

sunshine_day_dreams · March 2012

Up until recently, H and I had a very embarrassingly large stash of plastic shopping bags that we were using to clean the litter box. We've finally used them all up (and have no intention of getting any more), but now we are having trouble coming up with another convenient solution for scooping the litter box that isn't stinky or messy. We only fill our trash roughly every 2 weeks, so scooping directly into the trash isn't an option. How do you deal with the litter mess in an EF manner?

CDMay2006 · March 2012

We scoop and flush the poop (it's ok where we live). We empty the kitchen remainder in the kitchen garbage bag before taking it out. So we do use plastic, but no more than we already would.

kz's_girlygirl · March 2012

If you buy litter in the plastic bins, save the empty ones. You can scoop into the bins and toss the entire thing when it's full. They close tightly so odor is kept at bay and you get to reuse something that would otherwise just get thrown out month after month.

sunshine_day_dreams · March 2012

CDMay2006:
We scoop and flush the poop (it's ok where we live). We empty the kitchen remainder in the kitchen garbage bag before taking it out. So we do use plastic, but no more than we already would.

Interesting. I thought flushing was always a no-no. I didn't realize some places allow it. How did you go about finding out if it was okay for your area?

sunshine_day_dreams · March 2012

kz's_girlygirl:
If you buy litter in the plastic bins, save the empty ones. You can scoop into the bins and toss the entire thing when it's full. They close tightly so odor is kept at bay and you get to reuse something that would otherwise just get thrown out month after month.

We used to do this, but stopped buying the litter in the pails. I felt bad about still "wasting" plastic with cat litter, so we started going with the cardboard boxes.

Maybe I need to just get something like that that I can scoop into until trash day and then dump into the garbage. That grosses me out a little, though, just thinking of poopy germs all over. Ick!

MaineWifey · March 2012

sunshine_day_dreams:

kz's_girlygirl:
If you buy litter in the plastic bins, save the empty ones. You can scoop into the bins and toss the entire thing when it's full. They close tightly so odor is kept at bay and you get to reuse something that would otherwise just get thrown out month after month.

We used to do this, but stopped buying the litter in the pails. I felt bad about still "wasting" plastic with cat litter, so we started going with the cardboard boxes.

Maybe I need to just get something like that that I can scoop into until trash day and then dump into the garbage. That grosses me out a little, though, just thinking of poopy germs all over.

I have a small step trash can with a removable liner that works well so I can dump the poo in the trash on trash day, and wash the liner before it gets too gross. Since you don't take your trash out very often, I'd probably keep some baking soda on hand to sprinkle in the can after you clean the boxes. I use pine or corn litter depending on what my store has on sale, and have never had an issue with stink.

Jen&Joe06 · March 2012

I use paper bags (leftover from wine store, takeout food etc) and put it in our city compost bin.

sunshine_day_dreams · March 2012

Thanks everyone. I think maybe I'll have to look into something plastic that I can empty and sanitize quickly...as gross as I feel doing it that way.

Our county now has a bag tax for both paper and plastic, so no more bags for us - even for takeout or liquor. I so wish we had a city compost bin. It's just not feasible for us to do it on our own here in our tiny townhouse with no yard. :-(

Alisha_A · March 2012

Why not use a biodegradeable plastic bag?

natalietalbott · March 2012

DH and I use Pine litter, I am guessing you are using clay? SO... we just scoop the poop into the toilet and flush away then compost or use as liner for outdoor projects. I have never heard of city sewer companies scolding for flushing it... so that's a new one.

PolarBearFans · March 2012

We are very ungreen. We use paper lunch bags that I buy in bulk. It's sturdy and we just toss in the dumpster outside our apartment.

CDMay2006 · March 2012

sunshine_day_dreams:
CDMay2006:
We scoop and flush the poop (it's ok where we live). We empty the kitchen remainder in the kitchen garbage bag before taking it out. So we do use plastic, but no more than we already would.
Interesting. I thought flushing was always a no-no. I didn't realize some places allow it. How did you go about finding out if it was okay for your area?

It's listed on our city's website (on the animal control and water treatment pages).

Jen&Joe06:
I use paper bags (leftover from wine store, takeout food etc) and put it in our city compost bin.

This i thought wasn't ok, though (b/c it doesn't get hot enough to kill toxoplasmosis eggs)... i'm curious what your city does to allow this to work.

foundmylazybum · March 2012

1) As Alisha said, you can buy these: http://www.biobagusa.com/catering.htm

They work great

2) If your cat is an indoor, adult cat--it is very unlikely that they have toxoplasmosis. Cats get toxoplasmosis from eating infected raw meat. If your cat is eating kibble or wet food--then they will NOT carry toxoplasmosis--and if you flush their feces then it will not harm the ecosystem.

Quite frankly, clay based litter harms the environment because it generally ends up in landfills and and that is where the waste burden comes into play (2 MILLION tons of litter ends up in landfills). You can buy biodegradable cat litter that is actually compostable.

CDMay2006 · March 2012

foundmylazybum:
1) As Alisha said, you can buy these: http://www.biobagusa.com/catering.htm
They work great
2) If your cat is an indoor, adult cat--it is very unlikely that they have toxoplasmosis. Cats get toxoplasmosis from eating infected raw meat. If your cat is eating kibble or wet food--then they will NOT carry toxoplasmosis--and if you flush their feces then it will not harm the ecosystem.
Quite frankly, clay based litter harms the environment because it generally ends up in landfills and and that is where the waste burden comes into play (2 MILLION tons of litter ends up in landfills). You can buy biodegradable cat litter that is actually compostable.

The reason many municipalities do not permit flushing and/or composting cat feces (and litter in the latter) is because the temperatures reached during composting and the filtration processes of water aren't sufficient to kill/remove toxoplasmosis cysts.

While i agree that composting litter is great in theory, i would never compost our cat's feces, even if she hadn't been a stray when we adopted her (but especially so because of that). Compost simply does not get hot enough (or for long enough) to kill toxoplasmosis cysts, or many of the other pathogens present in carnivore feces (and tissue). If one composts their cat's litter and feces in home compost and then uses it only in non-food garden beds, it would be less of an issue.

ETA: Clarity

sunshine_day_dreams · March 2012

foundmylazybum:
Quite frankly, clay based litter harms the environment because it generally ends up in landfills and and that is where the waste burden comes into play (2 MILLION tons of litter ends up in landfills). You can buy biodegradable cat litter that is actually compostable.

Unfortunately, I got my cat used to clay litter when she was younger and I was less informed about "green" alternatives. I've tried many other greener versions since and she refuses to go in the litter box. So in lieu of using my carpet as a litter box, I unfortunately have to stay with the clay.

I'll look into the biodegradable bags. I thought if those were just going to go in a landfill, though, they wouldn't get enough oxygen to actually biodegrade.

bim38106 · March 2012

Not the greenest way to do it, but what about buying a cheap diaper disposer and using that? You don't have to use plastic liners with them, and they totally block the smell from escaping. Just wash and sanitize when you empty it. I'll admit I knew nothing about cloth diapers when I first had my girls, so we used disposable at the time and I have a Diaper Genie that will soon be used for cat litter.

foundmylazybum · March 2012

sunshine_day_dreams:
foundmylazybum:
Quite frankly, clay based litter harms the environment because it generally ends up in landfills and and that is where the waste burden comes into play (2 MILLION tons of litter ends up in landfills). You can buy biodegradable cat litter that is actually compostable.
Unfortunately, I got my cat used to clay litter when she was younger and I was less informed about "green" alternatives. I've tried many other greener versions since and she refuses to go in the litter box. So in lieu of using my carpet as a litter box, I unfortunately have to stay with the clay.
I'll look into the biodegradable bags. I thought if those were just going to go in a landfill, though, they wouldn't get enough oxygen to actually biodegrade.

We use clay litter too Embarrassed --we tried feline pine and our cats thought it was fine but WE didn't think it worked as well.

I was really pointing out that it's the litter itself going into landfills that creates an issue--not necessarily toxoplasmosis.

sciteach · March 2012

The Cat Genie is amazing, if you have the space and budget for it.

Cleaning the Litter Box/No Plastic Bags

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