Raising an Eco-cat: Green tips and Earth-friendly products for kitties

We spend a lot of time focusing on how to make our families, our homes and our lifestyle more “green.” But, what about our pets? Even small animals can leave a heavy environmental footprint if, as pet owners, we don’t take the initiative to make green choices. While some eco-friendly options for pet ownership will cost money, there are many ways to raise a greener pet without spending extra money. In fact, some of these tips may even save your money!

Just as there are many small decisions we make in our human lives that impact the environment, the decisions we make for our pets also add up.  Check out these “Green Pet Tips” for raising an eco-cat and if you have more ideas, leave a comment and let us know about your favorite ideas for greener pets.

• Recycle a pet and adopt a cat from your local animal shelter.
• Spay and neuter your cat or donate to organizations that offer low-cost procedures–reduce the number of unwanted animals in the world to increase the chances that strays will find good homes.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products without harsh chemicals.
• Recycle pet food cans.
• Repurpose household items for cat toys (card board boxes, paper, string and paper shopping bags).
• Select natural stain, odor and shampoo products.
• Give your cat a scratching post made from sustainable materials.
• Use only biodegradable pet waste bags.
• Buy green toys and collars made of hemp, organic cotton or 100% recycled polyesters.
• Use only organic lawn care products.
• Buy organic cat food, treats and catnip that don’t pollute through using pesticides to grow the ingredients.
• Use brushes made of recycled rubber and packaging.
• Buy cats beds that are made from recycled materials.
• Choose green litter disposal systems and/or switch to natural cat litter.

Eco-friendly pet products are becoming a booming industry for pet owners looking to reduce the environmental impact of keeping a cat companion. And, one important part of the industry is pet waste disposal.

Automated Pet Products, creators of the automated, self-cleaning litter box Litter Robot, will begin offering eco-friendly, biodegradable drawer liners in mid-April. Company testing has shown that the moisture from litter clumps did not degrade the bags significantly during a typical period of use (1-2 weeks in the drawer) and the liners help keep the Litter-Robot drawer neat and tidy for easy disposal of litter clumps.

“Our ECO Unit Litter-Robot is made of 100 percent recycled plastic in 84 percent of the total plastic volume, combined with the product’s standard efficiency and compatibility with biodegradable litter and drawer liners, we offer pet owners a great choice for going green with their cats,” says Brad Baxter, President of Automated Pet Products. “The Litter-Robot is proudly made in the USA and buying local reduces energy consumed and pollution emitted by transporting products from overseas.”

Win your own Litter-Robot

In celebration of Earth Day 2010, Litter-Robot is giving away an automated, self-cleaning litter-box system, which includes its new, biodegradable draw liners (pack of 25 – $15.99) and an ECO Litter-Robot ($329) which uses 100 percent recycled plastics in 84 percent of all the plastic components. Go to the Litter Robot Blog and tell the company how you are lessening your cat’s environmental paw print. One winner will be chosen at random on June 8, 2010 and announced on the Litter-Robot Blog. All entries must be received by June 1, 2010.

For more information about the Litter-Robot, go to www.litter-robot.com or call 877.250.7729.