primitive flushes used cat litter

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x7633

Oh my.

yy4me  (1000+ posts)      Tue Apr-21-09 09:21 AM
Original message
 
I posted this question in the Pets forum and have had no replies.

Perhaps those of you with experience with drains, sewer lines etc. can give me some advice.

I just adopted a stray kitty and the shelter suggested I use a particular brand of litter made from ground up corn. Easy to use and flushable. Great! A thought occurred to me last night as I used my garbage disposal. I have always been advised not to send things like rice, potato, oatmeal,or anything that will absorb water down the sink because it will expand and block the pipes.

Is this litter that I flush apt to absorb any water in the sewer lines and cause a problem? I read the bag and there is no indication that it would do so but I don't want to spend thousands of dollars on a dig up of sewer lines because of kitty litter.

Any help is appreciated. The sewer lines have been there about a million years and I have no idea what their condition is.

The primitive woman bothered by cold weather, the Polynesian queen primitive:

troubleinwinter  (1000+ posts)      Tue Apr-21-09 12:45 PM
Response to Original message

1. I wouldn't worry in the least.

WORLD'S BEST CAT LITTER (corn) is septic system and sewer safe, so all you have to do is scoop up the clumps and flush. When liquid first comes into contact with World's Best Cat Litter, it absorbs and clumps. But, when exposed to water again, like when you're depositing the clumps in your toilet, the clumps immediately disintegrate. No clogs. No blockages.

Q: Is CLUMP’N FLUSH (corn) really flushable?

A: Yes. The natural corncob based cellulose-litter ingredients used in CLUMP’N FLUSH form a clump which immediately dissolves in water and is fully flushable in any type of sewer or septic system. The litter biodegrades in any septic system as would any organic product.

CLUMP’N FLUSH (corn)

Completely harmless to plumbing, sewer, and septic systems, this highly absorbent natural cat litter is made from processed corn cobs.

Is it "apt to absorb any water"? Flushable clay clumping litters absorb 18 times their weight in water, where corn absorbs 4 times the weight (and corn is lighter). Toilet tissue absorbs water, but does not cause clogs.

The 'clumping' is from the natural corn starch, which disolves in the toilet flushing water.

Presumably your waste pipes are functioning properly (otherwise you'd have obvious problems from all the other things that go down the drains).

Corn litters are completely safe when flushed with appropriate toilet water volume (in other words, one wouldn't pour a whole litter box into the bathroom sink drain with just a few cups of water and let it sit).

I think it's a very good biodegradeable product to use.

Give kitty a squeeze for me!

I dunno.  I wouldn't want used cat litter to go down the commode or through the garbage disposal, myself.  I toss used cat litter out on the William Rivers Pitt, the best possible method of disposal.

[The Village Idiot]

I used to have a male cat, Wanderer, who used the restroom outside. I had a litter box just in case. I would never spend more than the absolute minimum on the cheapest of litter.

[Traveshamockery]

I have two cats and just to make the global warming/plastic bag haters mad, I clean out the litter box every time it is used by my two little princesses and put the litter into those horrible plastic bags I get from the grocery store.  And I then throw it away in the trash. 

 

[BlueStateSaint]

I have two cats and just to make the global warming/plastic bag haters mad, I clean out the litter box every time it is used by my two little princesses and put the litter into those horrible plastic bags I get from the grocery store.  And I then throw it away in the trash. 

 

That is exactly what my wife and I do.

[Celtic Rose]

I used to have a male cat, Wanderer, who used the restroom outside. I had a litter box just in case. I would never spend more than the absolute minimum on the cheapest of litter.

My cat definitely prefers to go outside.  He has a little cat door, and he handles that end of things all by himself.

[The Village Idiot]

My cat definitely prefers to go outside.  He has a little cat door, and he handles that end of things all by himself.

my cat climbed out the second story window onto the porch roof...