What does öko mean?
It's german for "eco" or ecological, meaning green or organic. ökocat litter is made from 100% reclaimed wood. It really is nature's gift to you and your cats. Go green, go öko!
How is ökocat different?
ökocat is made of reclaimed wood; it’s lighter and more absorbent than traditional litters and it’s easy on the planet. What’s not to love?
Why is our litter made from wood?
Our cat litter is made from reclaimed wood which is naturally lightweight, naturally absorbent, naturally odor-controlling, biodegradable and sustainable. Over the years, cat litter has been made from ashes, sand, newspaper and even food-grade materials. None of these materials have the range of features that natural wood offers.
What types of wood are used in our natural cat litter?
ökocat litter is a blend of spruce, fir and pine. Our fiber suppliers comply with policies of the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Imitative or the Forestry Preservation and Forestry Promotion Act.
How does our natural cat litter absorb so well?
Tree fiber has a natural capillary system within it that absorbs moisture and holds it within the fiber wall, thanks to Mother Nature. Our unique processing methods build on that natural ability.
Why is absorption so important in our natural cat litter?
Wood cat litter is naturally super absorbent and fast absorption in natural litter ensures your cat isn't standing in urine while relieving himself. It also helps to pull the urine down into the bottom of the tray. Rather than pool at the top. High absorption rates ensure that minimal litter is being wetted, so you use less, and scoop less so you save money. It also makes the cat box easier to clean and less frequently is needed due to the limited moisture and doesn't allow the litter to cake to the bottom. And absorption rates help with odor control by quickly absorbing the mess and encapsulating and trapping the odor inside. Ta da!
How does it fight odors?
The natural capillary structure of wood helps protect trees in their natural environment. That same structure works to repress odors in our cat litters. Because of wood’s incredible natural absorbency, urine doesn’t collect at the bottom of the litter tray, creating all kinds of unpleasant odors and unhygienic conditions.
Are there harmful chemicals used in the processing of your cat litter?
No. Any of the additives in our products are those typically found in the production of common household products such as tissue paper and/or products for human consumption.
How much lighter is natural wood litter than clay?
ökocat weighs 50% to 60% less than clay litters. For example, you would only have to carry 7 pounds of ökocat for the equivalent of 20 pounds of clay.
What makes the clumping litters clump?
We add a proprietary recipe of ingredients derived from natural materials that are listed by the FDA as GRAS (generally accepted as safe) human-grade ingredients. We achieve superior performance through the unique selection and application of these ingredients.
Why is clumping important for cat litter?
Clumping cat litters immediately react with moisture. Cat urine is encapsulated and begins to harden on contact, trapping the liquid and the odor within. The urine does not soak to the bottom of the box and sit there stinking up the room and attaching to the bottom of the box. The clump is easily removed, you waste less litter, don't have to scrape the bottom of the box and your cat stays clean and dry. The clumping litter also attaches to the moisture in feces. Though it does not clump as solid as a urine clump, it is still incredibly beneficial.
Why doesn't everyone use CLUMPING litters then?
Some people don’t know the benefits. Some prefer non-clumping litters because they use automatic litter boxes, or the type that have screens or use rakes to clean the box and some are concerned about the ingredients used to clump. The clumping ingredients used in ours are those typically found in in the production of common household products such as tissue paper.What scoop is best to use with the larger pellet litters?There are several scoops with large slots specially designed for use with pellets available at retail. We are hoping to have our own specially designed okocat scoop available soon!
Does ökocat litter works in litter robot or other clumping litter machines?
We recommend either the Wood Clumping which is a cracked pellet or the super soft wood clumping litter which is grounded into fine granules much like clay litter. Both should work in your litter machine. If you would like an example of the actual size of the litters there are high quality pictures of granule size on the individual product pages.
What are the issues with cat litters made from wheat, corn, grains, tea or other food types?
Because these products are made from food product, they will degrade and rot like food. Unlike wood products, and the odor is noticeable as they degrade. Ugh! They can also vary in price due to cost trends of the commodities they are made from.What are the benefits of our paper cat litter?Our paper litter is 70% lighter than clay, but just as absorbent, making it a great choice for someone who doesn't wish to haul or store a heavy bag of litter. It is also an excellent choice for homes with cats, adults or children that are either respiratory sensitive, allergic or asthmatic. It is also highly recommended by veterinarians for post-surgery use due to its clean nature.Where does the paper come from in ökocat Dust Free litter?Paper is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from trees. Rather than using recycled newspaper that contains inks and dyes like some other paper litters, our paper is produced from natural wood fibers in our own processing facilities specifically designed to make paper cat litter. These wood fibers are washed and screened via a proprietary process. This process melds the fibers together to produce a finished pellet that is then dried and screened to very specific specifications and packed on dedicated packaging lines.
Why is the Dust Free litter made from paper?
Paper comes from trees, trees come from nature; it’s a sustainable resource with many benefits. As well, our paper litter offers several benefits to both cats and consumers that stand apart from other litters. Our clean, ink and dye free paper litter is the lightest litter option, it has natural absorbency and is 99.9% dust free.
Why is there dust in the “Dust Free” cat litter?
Unlike, many natural cat litters, we screen our wood litter to remove 99.9% of all dust prior to putting it into a package. A small amount of dust may remain on the surface of each pellet. Some movement takes place during shipping, handling in warehouses and on store shelves, which we do not have control over.
Can I compost used natural cat litter?
The kitty litter itself is completely biodegradable. However, we do not recommend putting used litter feces clumps in your compost bin. If you choose to compost, do not use in vegetable gardens, or be sure to let it set for six months so as to follow the USDA protocol in order to make the compost safe for use in vegetable gardens.
Can you or can't you flush the natural cat litter?
Yes, our natural wood kitty litters are flushable and have been certified by SGS in accordance with ANSI standards (ASME A112.19.6. (JRS)) However, local limitations should be considered and flushing is not recommended if on a septic system. As well, the state of California has a referendum against flushing cat litter for protection of the sea lion population, since cat feces can harm sea lions.
Why is there a PROP 65 Warning on the packaging of your cat litters?
We realize the requirement posed (only) by the state of California sounds scary. It needn’t be. The warning pertains to “wood dust.” Along with beach sand, wood dust was added to a list of more than 900 substances ruled harmful when overexposure occurs in the workplace, or even by a consumer. According to the law, all wood- and silica-based cat litters should state the Prop 65 warning to be compliant, though many do not.There are several innocuous substances on the California list that with typical use, do not risk human or pet health (e.g. traditional clay cat litters are also required to carry the warning for silica or “sand,”). However, it’s our responsibility to label our products as required by law. Being a small company and to keep retail costs down, we chose to print only one packaging version, rather than incurring the cost of a “California only “ version.
Are any animals used in the testing of your products?
We do not use animals in the testing of any of our products. All our products do go through rigorous quality assurance procedures and third party laboratory testing and adhere to established safety guidelines mandated by regulatory and animal welfare agencies. Our products are made from substances that have a long history of safety for both the humans and animals, and are found in everyday products from both the food and cosmetics industries.
Is your product still safe for birds?
The best bird bedding is actually our ökocat Dust Free cat litter.
Where are your products made?
Currently, our two clumping products are currently made in Germany and have been sold there as Europe's number one natural litter for more than 15 years under the name of CAT’S BEST. We plan to make them in the USA in the near future. Our paper and non-clumping pine products are manufactured in Jesup, GA and Ferndale, WA.
