Is your cat litter giving you red flags? In this episode of Barking Mad, we’re breaking up with clay and introducing six sustainable litter options that are ready to commit—odor control, low dust, and all. From corn and walnut shells to tofu and recycled paper, meet the brands turning trash into treasure and poop into performance. Join us as we play matchmaker and help you find the purr-fect partner for your cat’s litter box needs!

Helpful Links

⛏️ Read more about the ecological impact of strip mining for bentonite clay and silica.

🐱 Learn more about:

• World’s Best Cat Litter 🌽
• Fresh News 🗞️
• Catalyst 🪵
• sWheat Scoop 🌾
• Naturally Fresh 🌰
• Dofu Cat 🫛

♻️ The upcycling movement isn’t limited to cat litter. Learn more about brands who are taking surplus produce and unsellable food products and turning them into delicious and nutritious pet food and treat products—One Man’s Trash Is Another Dog’s Treasure: The Story of Upcycled Pet Food.

🌱 Curious about other sustainability initiatives in the pet industry? Check out our other episodes:

• One Man’s Trash Is Another Dog’s Treasure: The Story of Upcycled Pet Food
• The Beautiful Story of Regenerative Agriculture: Does the Future of Pet Food Start with Soil?
• And stay tuned for upcoming episodes about insect protein, sustainable packaging, invasive species in pet nutrition, and more!

Show Notes

00:00 – Welcome Back!

01:55 – The Toxic Traits of Unsustainable Litter Materials

05:42 – What Cat Parents are Looking for in a Litter

10:59 – Meet Today’s Sustainable Litter Contestants!

12:36 – Contestant No. 1: World’s Best Cat Litter

16:58 – Contestant No. 2: Naturally Fresh

21:15 – Contestant No. 3: Fresh News

25:29 – Contestant No. 4: Catalyst

29:13 – Contestant No. 5: sWheat Scoop

31:29 – Contestant No. 6: Dofu Cat

34:58 – Dumping Your Toxic Ex: How to Transition Successfully

36:45 – From Sticker Shock to Shocking Savings

 39:11 – Are Cat Litters Really Flushable?

41:26 – The Truth on Toxoplasmosis

44:34 – Be Careful with Composting

45:05 – Don’t Eat the Litter!

47:40 – Today’s Key Takeaways

50:25 – And The Winner Is…