trying to eliminate plastic bags - litter box cleanup is holding me back

[DeerMother]

Litter box and two cats are inside only. Litter gets scooped at least once daily into plastic bag. Since they've joined the fam, I've started using plastic bags for groceries again. I rarely take one of my reusable bags bc I know I'll need the disposable for the catbox. I can only think of gross ways to cut back or eliminate the bag usage. Any ideas?

[neonalee]

Oh I hope you get some good ideas! I have the same problem.

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[Caneel]

A former co-worker of mine kept a large coffee tin next to the litter box (don't know what size but far bigger than the 1 pound cans, she probably bought coffee at a warehouse club) and woud put the litter waste in there.  I suppose any metal container with a decent, tight fitting lid would work.  I would avoid any plastic container though because I learned from experience that plastic seems to retain the stink.

Do you read newspapers?  Put a couple of layers of newspapers on the floor, scoop onto the newspapers, bundle and put in the trash.  I have done this once when we were out of shopping bags.  I suppose you could fold the papers into some sort of funnel if you don't want to risk getting litter on the floor.

[SweetSilver]

Are you using clay litter?  What kind?  Clumping?  Plain?  When we had to use a regular litter box I flushed the clean poo ( ) down the toilet and composted the damp litter.  We use newspaper pellets or pine pellets.  When I mean compost, I mean not the one you add to your veggie garden.  I'm not sure if there is really anything wrong with it, but it just seems polite to keep that out.  (But the composted chicken poo goes in.  Go figure.)  

Save empty cat food bags to dispose of the old litter when it's time to change, if it is the clay kind.

[DeerMother]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

Are you using clay litter?  What kind?  Clumping?  Plain?  When we had to use a regular litter box I flushed the clean poo ( ) down the toilet and composted the damp litter.  We use newspaper pellets or pine pellets.  When I mean compost, I mean not the one you add to your veggie garden.  I'm not sure if there is really anything wrong with it, but it just seems polite to keep that out.  (But the composted chicken poo goes in.  Go figure.)  

Save empty cat food bags to dispose of the old litter when it's time to change, if it is the clay kind.

I use clumping. I've considered switching to the pine or recycled kind, but my budget prohibits it. I use pet food bags for paper recycling.

I think I could do the coffee can trick. Even if it didn't eliminate plastic bags totally, I could cut it down a lot.

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by DeerMother 

I use clumping. I've considered switching to the pine or recycled kind, but my budget prohibits it. I use pet food bags for paper recycling.

Some kitties REALLY resist litter changes.  Ours boycotted the pellet (recycled newspaper) type. 

[mumkimum]

Well, we have a litter garbage can to scoop litter waste into, next to the scoop and everything, and then when we change the litter weekly we dump the old litter in there also (so this is, like, a kitchen garbage can bag).  So that's one bag a week.  

[DeerMother]

Originally Posted by mumkimum 

Well, we have a litter garbage can to scoop litter waste into, next to the scoop and everything, and then when we change the litter weekly we dump the old litter in there also (so this is, like, a kitchen garbage can bag).  So that's one bag a week.  

Smell? is the can closed?

[mumkimum]

Originally Posted by DeerMother 

Smell? is the can closed?

Smell isn't very strong unless it's been recently opened and something 'fresh' put in (it is kept, like the litter boxes, in our basement in an out of the way spot so this doesn't really affect us.  Depending on where your boxes are set up, it might be different).

It's a cheap, lidded, plastic garbage can, so yes kept closed - though it's hardly airtight in any way. 

[neonalee]

Great ideas! Just wanted to comment on flushing it. I haven't done research to verify, but I have read that flushing cat poop possibly puts whatever that thing cats can have (brilliant description huh? The thing we are warned against when pregnant) into the water. And thats a problem when it gets to... Somewhere because the marine life has no immunity to it.

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[aidenn]

I do the same thing as mumkimum!  13 gallon lidded kitchen trash bin is kept in our garage.  We scoop littler daily into an old paint bucket and dump the pain bucket into the lidded bin.  Once a week, the whole big bag goes in the bin.  Only smells when the lid is open!

[Monkey pants]

I've been using paper bags. Kitty pooo is so nasty smelling I can't imagine keeping it in a can! Eek. Maybe it's just my cat. Please do not compost cat or dog poo. No mater what you do cat poo will never be safe for any garden because of toxoplasmosis and other germs. Throw it away!
Good luck!