The Low Down On Green Living
December 3rd, 2007
How To Tuesday: Eco-friendly Pet Care
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If you’re like me and my husband, you’re completely nuts about your pets. We have a cat named Paco and a Shih Tzu named Chewie, and we pretty much get twitchy when we are away from them for more than a day. So I am very concerned not only about th environmental impact of our pet care, but also what is best for our pets. Thus the theme of this How To Tuesday.
Pet Food
I’m sure if you’ve been to your local pet care shop recently you have been overwhelmed by the stunning array of natural, organic, and gourmet cat and dog foods on the market now. It’s amazing– in those stores I feel like pets have more food options than us humans!
But if you dig deeper into the pet food market you’ll find some disturbing facts– many, many ingredients that go into standard pet foods are truly unhealthy for our pets, being made from meat by-products that are unfit for human consumption. We have to choose our brands very carefully. Here is a great report on the status of hundreds of ingredients in pet food brands– it will help you do your own research.
At our house we feed our dog Merrick’s dog food. Chewie is a particularly big fan of their Cowboy Cookout dinner. You know it’s good when mom (me) can recognize every ingredient on the list! They also make cat food. I know another family that loves Newman’s Own Organic Pet Food.Our cat eats Evo made by the Natura Pet Products Company. They make a number of natural brands. Their Karma brand uses 95% organic ingredients. They also make the Mother Nature brand of pet treats.
Which brands have you tried and like? Please let us know in the comments section.
Pet Shampoos and Other Care Products
If you read the labels of most dog and cat shampoo and other products, you’ll find that they are full of the same unhealthy chemicals from which human shampoos and conditioners are made. I use Aubrey Organics shampoo for my dog and their human line for myself and we are both good and clean. Vermont Soap Organics makes a good dog shampoo, too. There are also very good non-toxic sprays and lotions to help keep your pets free of fleas and other critters. There are even non-toxic sprays you can use to keep your pets off of your furniture. You can find a number of brands of healthy pet potions in our pet care section.
Doggy Poo-poo
There’s no nice way to put it– our pets generate a lot of waste. A lot of people pick up their pet’s poo-poo with plastic bags and then toss them into the trash. This is a land-fill nightmare– just think how many hundreds of thousands of pounds of poo and plastic end up in our landfills each year. It makes me a little queasy just thinking about it.
If you have a dog, I highly recommend getting yourself a supply of biodegradable poo-poo bags from BioBag. They are easy to use, aren’t made from oil like plastic, and at least have a chance of degrading when they end up in the landfill. While the bags say they are compostable (which is true), you should not deposit animal waste in most home compost bins. There are special kinds of composters that can take animal wastes and food scraps as well.
Kitty Litter
Many conventional kitty litter brands on the market are full of unpleasant chemicals that you (and your cat!) can breathe in when you disturb the litter. I have recently tried a couple of brands of natural kitty litters — Swheat Scoop and Green Tea Clumping Cat Litter. The Swheat Scoop doesn’t clump quite as well as I’d hoped, so you end up throwing out a lot of unused litter with the used litter. But it didn’t stink and so I was marginally happy with it. I was more pleased with the Green Tea version, which clumped quite well and was even less smelly than the Shweat Scoop. With either of these brands you don’t have to put it in a plastic bag to throw it out– just put the litter right into the trash. It will begin to biodegrade from there. Have any of you had success with other brands/types you’d like to share?
Clothes, Gear & Furniture
You wouldn’t wear an uncomfortable synthetic band around your neck, so why should your dog or cat? Please allow me to suggest the stylish hemp collars, beds, blanket and toys from Earth Dog. Spend a few minutes on their site and you won’t be able to stop yourself. We also love the organic kimonos (at left) and t-shirts from Skoon. Your pup will be so happy he’ll never stop licking you.
And how cool is that kitty chaise pictured at the top of the blog!?? It’s called the Purrrounge and it’s made from recycled corrugated cardboard. It is loungey enough for your kitty and strong enough for people. The corrugated texture provides a surface that is soft, breathable and durable for scratching. Even a persnickety kitty like our Paco would be prrrrrr-etty happy.
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Comments
Josee
December 5th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Hello,
I use the “Doggie Dooley” for my 2 big dogs. It’s a very cool mini septic for the poop. It works like a mini septic system and eliminates the use of plastic bags. You scoop your dog’s waste into the underground steel bucket, then a nontoxic, natural enzyme and bacteria formula breaks down the waste into an odor-free liquid, which is harmless to lawns.
It doesn’t work in cold climate (enzymes), so in Winter I used biodegradable bags.
Jacklyn
December 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Hi.
I also use Swheat Scoop Litter. I haven’t had a problem with the clumping. The thing I love the most about the litter though is that it is certified flushable.
Stacey
December 5th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
We feed our 6 month old puppy Castor and Pollux Organix puppy food and he’s thriving. I would also highly recommend The Whole Dog Journal and their annual list of top dog foods.
Jason Pelletier, Low Impact Living
December 6th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Jacklyn:
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, flushing even “flushable” kitty litter isn’t that eco-friendly. While the litter itself might not be a problem, the feces are. Some cats carry toxoplasmosis, a microscopic organism that can make mammals very ill. Many sea otters have been killed by toxoplasmosis released into the ocean via contaminated, flushable kitty litter!
Also, the flushable litter still does clump as you point out, and this can contribute to clogged drains over time.
So, there are tradeoffs all around with kitty litter - we still recommend using more natural options, but putting it in biodegradable sacks or the trash directly might be the least harmful way to go.
Grizzly Mom
December 27th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
My friend the environmental engineer said that if you dog poos where no one steps, leave it there because it is most ecologically sound. Only if others will step in it should you bother to pick it up.
Jason Pelletier, Low Impact Living
December 27th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Grizzly Mom:
Being a fellow environmental engineer, I might disagree with your friend just a little bit. If you live in a relatively rural area and regularly walk your dog away from streams / rivers, then I might agree. However, dog poop is a major contributor to bacteria pollution in our suburban and urban waterways, even in areas where 75%+ of people pick up after their dogs.
The problem isn’t the dog poo itself (after all, coyotes and wolves poop too, right?), but the density. In any relatively developed area the density of our pet dogs is much higher than the “natural” density of such large carnivores would be. This leads to a much higher density of poop than you would find in natural conditions, and that leads to water quality problems!
Catherine
February 7th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
We loved Swheat Scoop until realized it was the source of our major mouse infestation in the basement where my ferret was using the litter. The mouse population literally exploded when they had this food source and until we figured out the cause.
jricketts
February 18th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I have four dogs and we clean up our back yard that is full of “poo” by scooping it up and putting it in one location so mother nature can take care of it.
We actually own a eco friendly online dog store as well. We started selling holistic dog treats so that our dogs don’t get the bad stuff from China.
Jim
Allie
February 19th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I haven’t tried the green tea litter. I can’t use Swheat Scoop b/c I’m allergic to wheat. I’ve been making my own — http://alliesanswers.com/tip-of-the-day/tip-of-the-day-make-your-own-kitty-litter/1044
and it’s actually been working out really well.
I do want to give the green tea litter a try though.
So Cal Gal
February 25th, 2008 at 2:59 am
We too had a Doggy Dooley at our old house (now in an apartment and can’t use it). We contacted the manufacturer and they told us that feline feces could be added, as long as no litter stuck to it. Using Feline Pine seemed to make that possible… and then all the dry stuff can be composted. And it’s made from recycled pine… No bags, no mess, happy dog and cat.
Peri
August 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I bought TWO doggey dooley systems to handle my four large dogs, but alas, I am not too thrilled with it. After using it for several months, I find they do not drain very well in my clay soil, and they STINK to high heavens. I dread adding the waste and water everyday because the smell is so bad I want to pass out. I thought this was a nice “green” concept, but I am not too happy with the results. I would look at other options.
Kate
October 5th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
We use Feline Pine scoopable litter, and it is great. It is made of saw dust and guar, and compostable. Note: you should only use it to make compost for flower gardens– not for anything you would eat, due to the risk of Toxoplasmosis. It is also very lightweight, which is great for anyone with limited strength or mobility.
vivian
October 15th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
We use Flush Doggy flushable dog poop bags to get rid of my dog’s poops. It’s the most eco-friendly way to do when dealing with dog poops.
Jeff Spring
November 19th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
At Pethabitats, we manufacture a 100% flushable waste bag and a convenient pack that carries both used and unused bags. They are strong enough to not break down prematurely yet thin enough to easily flush in any toilet without clogging pipes. This also keeps waste out of the local landfills where it can pollute our water supply. Many cities are passing ordinances that prohibit the disposal of pet waste in garbage cans. Go to our website for a free sample.
Lost Pet
December 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
As we move into a more eco-friendly, eco-aware society, considering our pets is one of the most important aspects of this transition. Thanks for the post!
Billy
December 31st, 2008 at 8:07 am
I love seeing more and more pet owners “greening” their pets. There are many great products out there. For more information about green dog and cat products I recommend going to http://www.TheRecycledRetriever.com.
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Sabra
March 17th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Nice post! I have 2 dogs and I feed them organic food. I am very glad to see thatpeople want to reduce their “carbon paw print” of their pets. You can find some useful tips on green living here– check out http://www.ecomii.com/tips
AC
April 18th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Thanks to Vivian for the info on Flush Doggy bags! I’m a new dog owner and have been questioning the common practice of throwing poop in the trash. These are the answer!
Catherine
July 28th, 2009 at 11:35 am
My cats eat Newman’s Own organic canned cat food and Pet Guard dry food (they just seem to like the taste more). Both are very good, and are also certified cruelty free! I like the idea of buying things from farms that treat their animals well. The cat little my cats use is Feline Pine clumping style and it works great!
Beth
September 21st, 2010 at 1:54 pm
If you really want to go green with your pet…………try feeding a species appropriate diet. Primal Pet Food, Bravo! Raw Diets, Answers and Nature’s Variety are only 4 of many brands of raw pet food diets. You may feel a bit sqeamish about it, but it’s what their bodies are designed to process. Try it for at least 6 months, you be a believer! Just make sure you do your homework and know what to expect during the change-over. Some pets go through a detox. It doesn’t mean they can’t eat a raw diet, but that their body needs to get rid of toxins.
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