The Story of Kitty Litter

Did you know that the first litter box filler, as we know it today was absorbent clay? Yes, in 1943 Edward Lowe from Cassopolis, Michigan, owned a business that used a product that cleaned up grease spills. In those days they used sawdust, sand, dirt and shredded newspaper to fill the litter box. Edward Lowe came up with the idea to use this clay as a filler for litter boxes. Edward put the clay in five-pound bags and called it "Kitty Litter". He tried to sell it to local stores, but they said it cost too much. So he sold it out of the back of his Chevy truck for a lesser price. Well, the absorbent clay called Kitty Litter made Lowe a millionaire. Lowe died in 1995, but continues to help other entrepreneurs through his web site. The sales of cat box fillers run between $600 and $700 million a year.

If your cat goes to the bathroom in other places besides the litter box, it could be that he or she does not like the litter, or you are not cleaning it enough. It is best to get the right formula that suits your cat. It is best to find the right kind and stick with it.

There are many types of litter boxes you can use: a metal baking dish, plastic pan, covered pan, or self-cleaning pans. Whatever you choice make sure your cat likes it. If you don't like dealing with soiled litter the best pan for you would be the LitterMaid which is the automatic litter box. I have personally work with them and they are great. It has a motion detector that indicates when the cat is well you know, doing his business, then the rake like hand scoops up the solid letter and put it into a waste container.

There are some people who should avoid handling soiled litter boxes all together. These are pregnant women and people with immune systems suppressed by disease. Some cats have a disease called Toxoplasmosis. Which can be harmful to people. If you have no choice you should wear a mask and plastic gloves when handling the litter box.

Some other accessories you should have are: scoops, liners and mats. There are many choices of litter out on the market. Once again, it's not what you like but what your cat likes. Also, it is a good idea to have some good cleaners on hand for accidents on floors and carpets. We find that the KC1000 cleaner is best for cat clean ups. It can be used on floors, and to spot clean carpets. There are two types of litter on the market, clay litter and clumping litter. Clay litter is the one that Lowe discovered and it the least expensive of the two. The only problem with it is that you can not really scoop it. You have to change it about once a week depending on you cat. Clay is usually put in a box with a liner in order to make it easy to dispose of. Also you may want to have a mat in front of the litter box to catch any litter that will track from your cat's paws.

Clumping litter has the consistency of sand and adhere to the urine and poop. It makes a mold so that you can scoop it up in one piece. There are also the Litter Pearls they are small round pearls made of silica. One bag will last you a month, but you still have to scoop out the poop. Last but not least is the World's Best Cat Litter, which is all natural, made out of corn kernels. You have many choices, and what ever you decide to use make sure your pet likes it too.

For more information about our cat-sitting services,
please give us a call today!
415-487-1444