Last Updated: September 20th, 2020
Zero Waste Cat | Having a cat can pose a new set of obstacles to overcome when trying to avoid waste. The food, the litter, the treats, and the toys all have some sort of environmental impact.
There are so many things that come with cat ownership that can lead to a mountain of trash. Cat litter alone, contributes to vast holes from strip mining over 2 million tons’ worth that is pulled from the earth every single year.
Below, I have put together a few tips that can either lead you to a completely waste free feline, or significantly reduce the amount of waste Mr. Fluffy Bottom produces.
Zero Waste Cat
Food
Buy your cat food in bulk.
Make your own cat food.
Buy raw ingredients to make your own cat food instead of purchasing the kibble or canned food. Do this by taking your own containers to the butcher to have filled. There are some mixed reviews on whether or not it’s better for your cat so I suggest you do your own research. Keep in mind that there are additional vitamins and minerals that cats will still require that you’ll need to buy separately, in glass, to add to their food.
Buy your cat food in recyclable packaging.
Give your non-recyclable pet food bags a second life.
Zero Waste Cat Litter Box
Consider the impact of your litter box as well. Avoid buying a new plastic tray if you can. Check out local second hand shops or even repurpose a storage tote. If you are looking for a plastic-free box, check out this one HERE. Though they are exceptionally more expensive, these will literally last forever and not begin to absorb the ammonia smell that plastic ones will eventually succumb to.
Use sawdust, mulch, or dirt as your “litter”
Compost the doo-doo.
Check to see if your local/city compost programs take animal waste.
Train your cat to go outside, “supervised”.
Buy bulk litter.
Buy litter in compostable packaging.
Zero Waste Cat Toys/Accessories
Utilize items you already have or make your own.
Related: 21 Genius Ways to Repurpose Old Clothing
Buy all natural/quality items.
Opt for second hand.
Thrift stores are great for finding second hand pet products such as toys, bowls, litter boxes, leashes, collars, you name it! Buying second hand takes new products out of the waste stream and is better for your wallet. Also, check friends and family for any items they’d give you for free.
Zero Waste Cat Treats
Buy in Bulk.
Make homemade treats.
For more kitty related posts, check out:
I enjoyed these tips! When we got our kitten she went in the liter for a few months and then we started teaching her go outside. No only is it zero waste of liter it saves us money too
Any tips on zero-waste flea treatments for cats? My cat's flea medicine comes in little plastic containers.
Vet here. There are no effective and safe flea treatments that come without packaging. There are a few holistic remedies that I know people use, like clove oil, but it is not effective and I do not think it is safe as cats like to lick it off. Medications you get from your vet are the safest option and do the best job but they have to give them to you in approved packaging for dosing reasons, just like any medications you might get from a pharmacy. I would opt for safety and try to recycle as much of the packaging as you can.
The more you learn about how to care for your cat, the better the level of health you will be able to bring your feline friend to. our sitew
Thank you – this is just what I was looking for!
For flees you can use herbal sprays. I suggest looking them up and make sure they're safe for kitty as some herbs and oils aren't good for them in the long run. But once you find a good choice (I prefer lemongrass) it'll be healthier then chemicals, cheaper, and easier to use. Also, dawn dish soap is great for washing your pets, it kills the fleas quickly without harming your pets. I've got 16 cats a dog and 9 rats and use these methods to keep my home free of flees and ticks and roaches while still living in the middle of the woods.
What if you can't compost the waste. My worry is throwing the waste in a plastic bag, and throwing that in a landfill. I guess I could use paper bags…but I have 3 cats and the wet urine soaked litter (I clean the litter box quite often during the day) would not work with a paper bag…
This is a late comment but:
There are compostable doggie doo bags, so if you really can’t do anything but throw the waste away, you can do that I suppose… However, I’ve read that even compostable things often don’t break down at the landfill because there isn’t enough oxygen and bacteria. That being said, we can only do as much as we can and trying is important! Just try your best! 🙂
You could save a coffee can to keep next to the box. Since you clean the box often you can just dump from the litter box to the can, and when that’s filled dump the contents directly into the garbage, rather than using plastic bags.
Thank you for these ideas!
Diatomaceous Earth! Just dust it on your kitties 🙂
I’m really concerned about cat food… specially “humid” food. Dry food is easy to find. What about humid food?? each day, we generate one can or one plastic bag.
After researching everything there is to know about toxoplasmosis, I’ve decided that my cat is likely not at risk to be killing sea otters, and I’ve decided to compost her waste. She’s on the raw diet so she has less droppings overall. The packaging that the raw food comes in is also compostable.
You can also train your cat to use the toilet. There are rings you put on the toilet seat with a bit of litter and you reduce the ring size until the cat only uses the toilet.
I always think how weird would it be to get up in the night to use the restroom, open the door, and see that your cat has the bathroom occupied. Do you just excuse yourself and wait your turn? LOL I have 4 cats so I don’t think I’d ever get a turn.
hello! ‘ve been trying to use a mixture of peatmoss and saw dust, however he (Schrodinger) seems to think that it’s just getting him more dirty or he may just not think he has to cover up his doings as well as he did with normal litter. suggestions for zero waste clean kitty paw mats?
This is an older post but it still comes up pretty high in my google search on the subject, so I thought I should let you know that you can not flush or compost cat poop because it can spread certain parasites to wildlife and humans!
You are right in that pet waste can harbor harmful bacteria. However, there are safe ways to compost pet feces without the worry. First of all, I do NOT recommend using pet waste compost on or near edible food/gardens. I recommend “Hot Composting” which is talked more about here: https://www.thespruce.com/composting-cat-or-dog-waste-2539613
Great idea .Thanks for sharing
Great idea
Thank you so so much for this post!! The food ideas are helpful! Have you heard of TofuKittyClub? They sell biodegradable cat litter I’m looking into trying out!
Hi! I really like and appreciate this post as I switch over to a zero waste lifestyle. How do you suggest taking care of indoor cat vomit accidents? It usually requires a plastic glove, bag, paper towels, and a store bought carpet/floor cleaner. What do you think could so the job, beside the obvious hack of chasing your sick cat outside to do their business in the lawn. Thanks!
Hi Avery! Personally, I use a cloth rag and shake off the excess outside. I use cold water and soap to scrub the stains out and a little baking soda if it’s set in a little. Hope this helps!