How to Live Zero Waste With a Cat
When I first adopted Mochi, I had not the slightest idea on how to live with her in an eco way. Now, she’s 6.5 years old so I’d love to share with you what I’ve learned about live low waste with a cat.
This post is sponsored by Okocat.
Litter
We started with clay litters at first since that’s what was widely available and what was considered normal to me. I didn’t think much of it until we moved, and we had to start from scratch. I hated the artificial scents of clay litter as well as all the dust. And after researching, I found out that it’s also horrible for the planet. It involved harmful strip mining, which decimates ecosystems. I knew I had to change.
When we moved to Las Vegas in 2021, I grabbed a bag of Okocat, not thinking much of it other than that it was eco-friendly. I was impressed by their paper packaging and that they’re made from sustainably sourced wood. My expectations for smell were low. After all, how could wood pellets keep the cat smell away? To say I was blown away is an understatement. I guess you can just check my track record. We loved it so much that I still buy bag after bag over 5 years later.
Over the years, we’ve tried their original, but now we stick to the low tracking formula. We’ve lived in many small spaces, including an RV, and it helps contain the mess. Speaking of the RV, I literally slept over top of the litter box for TWO WHOLE YEARS! Not a single smell was smelled, even while I was sleeping.
I will forever sing the praises of this litter. Get yourself a bag now!
In order to make scooping the litter less impactful on the planet, I repurpose plastic bags I get from the grocery store or that I even find as litter.
Toys
I quit buying gimmicky pet store toys early on. Cats will play with anything! Namely, they will play with trash. I make Mochi a variety of toys out of things I otherwise would throw away. Her two favorites are a toilet paper tube I cut into a spiral that she chases around and also a string toy made from old textiles. Don’t worry, we only do string toys under supervision.
She does have a few new toys, though, from The Kind Pet that she absolutely adores. It’s okay to buy your pets a new toy, but try not to take it overboard. Subscription toy services are a waste of money and resources. No pet needs that many new toys.
You could also try thrifting stuffed animals to save money and resources.
Treats
Mochi may not be the world’s most playful cat, but she sure loves a good treat. And I also love Shameless Pets since they help to reduce food waste! Food waste is one of the most impactful things we do to the planet. We use resources to grow food just to throw it away, where it releases potent methane gas emissions, which are a worse greenhouse gas than CO2!
These treats are tasty (Mochi’s word, not mine), eco-friendly, and last a long time! Each bag lasts us several months of daily use. I’ve even been using them to train Mochi to get her teeth brushed to ensure she has a long and healthy life.
Her other favorite treat is catnip, and we get it from the brand For Mew. It’s in 100% recyclable, compostable, or reusable packaging, and it’s filled to the BRIM with organic catnip. I love it when Mochi is satisfied without sacrificing the planet!
Misc
Here are a few other tips to live sustainably with pets, but be sure to check out the full video here!
When you need new pet supplies, try shopping secondhand first! The thrift store has many pet carriers, leashes, water bowls, and more
When you can’t find something secondhand, shop from a small brand or small pet store before heading to a large, wasteful chain company
Repair their old toys, beds, and other pet supplies before throwing it out and buying new
To get rid of pet fur, try a reusable lint remover to reduce waste
Spend quality time with them and try some DIY enrichment toys instead of wasteful, expensive, and gimmicky toys
That’s it! I hope you found new ways to live zero waste with pets. Don’t forget to check out Okocat for all your sustainable cat litter needs.
As always, remember that your small actions make a big impact in the long run :)
Emma
