CYCLIC JOURNEYS Guide to Sustainable Cat Ownership User Guide

CYCLIC JOURNEYS Guide to Sustainable Cat Ownership

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

– – Anne-Marie Bonneau

Welcome to sustainable cat ownership! What you’re about to do is embark on a new and exciting way to care for your furry feline friend. Sustainable cat care is clean, logical, and ethical. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, knowing that you’re giving your cat the best quality of life, while doing your part for our planet too.
Now, you’re part of the growing Cyclic Journeys Community, where we connect on likeminded ground, and support each other every step of the way.
We still remember when we first brought home our two cats, Summer and Shylo. Those were two of the most memorable days of our lives! Back then, we had no idea that our sweet little kitties had significant carbon pawprints of their own. It didn’t take long for us to realize that if we were truly committed to living more sustainable lives ourselves, we couldn’t ignore the choices we were making in the care of our feline companions.
So, here we are.

We’ve done the research, we’ve done the digging and we’ve compiled lots of useful information in order to create this guide just for you. It’s designed to go along with your Sustainable Cat Starter Kit, and to help you take the next steps in your sustainable cat care journey, from food, to litter, to toys, to environmentally friendly disposal.
Like everything we create, our guide is simple, straightforward and actionable so you can start making meaningful changes in your life and the life of your cat right away, starting today!

Disclaimer

This guide has been developed to inform and educate you, and is not meant to act as a substitute for professional advice.
Before you take any actions based on the information herein, we encourage you to consult with relevant professionals.
As your pet’s owner, you have a right to make sensible choices on their behalf. At Cyclic Journeys we promote the kind of decisions that are good for your pet, and convenient for you. For any medical and/or physical issues, please contact a licensed professional immediately.
The information in this guide does not replace the advice, guidance or recommendations from your veterinarian.

Sustainability Considerations in Cat Care

Caring for your cat in more sustainable ways is easier than you might think. Half the battle is becoming aware of what’s possible and gaining knowledge about environmentally friendly practices in the homes we share with our felines. We’ve covered a few of the most critical and impactful ways that you can start making positive changes in your everyday cat care tasks.

Reduce plastic products in your cat’s life

The vast majority of pet products are made from plastic. This is a problem because the reality is this: the more plastic we produce, the more fossil fuels (oil and gas) we need. And the more oil and gas we consume, the more we exacerbate climate change. Plus, there are many signs pointing to the fact that plastic may not be the safest material for our cats, and we do not yet know enough about its potential long-term effects on the overall health of our felines.

**Here are a few simple swaps you can make to reduce the number of plastic products your cat is exposed to:

**

Collars and harnesses

Shop for collars and harnesses made using eco-friendly materials such as hemp or natural cork.

Carriers

Explore pre-loved options first. Do any family members or friends have cats? Maybe they have a carrier their cat has outgrown. If you’re buying new and have the budget, consider a locally-made wicker carrier, or buy the best quality you can afford so it lasts for many years to come.

Water fountains

Look for stainless steel or ceramic.

Litter box liners

This one’s easy – simply avoid them!

Cat beds

Feline bedding can be made at home with a splash of creativity! Use a combination of boxes, sheets and old clothes to build an ingenious cat bed filled with love. If you decide to buy new, choose beds that aren’t stuffed with polyester (a type of plastic, and one that is among the longest to decompose).

Cat trees and houses

Choose ones made from recycled wood and natural fibres.

Blankets

Repurpose old blankets lying around your home by designating them as “new cat blankets” – kitties love worn in, cozy things that smell like their family. If you choose to buy new, make sure your blankets are made from hemp, cotton or linen fabric.

Toys

Choose materials like wool, hemp, cotton and cork. Feeling crafty and creative? Make your own using old clothes and socks, stuffed with catnip (eco- friendly and cats LOVE it!). And never underestimate the power of a cardboard box! Repurpose the box that the Sustainable Cat Starter Kit and other home deliveries come in, and make simple DIY toys.

Here are a few ideas for DIY cardboard toys.

Box Labyrinth

Gather a few cardboard boxes (it’s best to use boxes of similar sizes)
Cut the top of each box
Use glue or paper tape to join the boxes together, creating any shape you want
Watch your kitty jump from one box to another!

Box Tunnel or Maze

Gather a few cardboard boxes
Cut an entrance hole and an exit hole in each box (make sure the holes are big enough for your cat to fit through)
Join the exit hole of one box to the entrance hole of another using tape, and create a fun maze that switches directions and keeps your cat amused
Cut out windows in random places on the tops and sides, and watch as your kitty peeks out playfully and makes its way through your maze – Can your feline find the exit?

Make sure the pieces you use to make your toys are big enough so they can’t be swallowed. And string is NOT a good toy for cats. If a cat eats string (or ribbon), it can become tangled inside, possibly leading to the development of life-threatening intestinal problems.

Reduce packaging waste

In the United States alone, pet food and treat bags amount to approximately 300 million pounds of plastic waste each year. How? Because most dry food and treat bags are actually made up of not one, but multiple layers of plastic, paper and foil that cannot easily be separated for recycling. As a result, 99% of all pet food packaging is not recycled and is thrown away, inevitably ending up in landfills or oceans.

Wet cat food
Look for metal cans because they are usually made of steel or aluminum.
These two materials can be recycled an infinite number of times.

Dry food and treats
Search for free recycling programs. Certain pet food brands have partnered with recycling companies to recycle the plastic packaging for their products.

How to recycle metal food cans:

1. Completely remove the lid

2. Rinse the inside with water and remove any food residue

3. Insert the lid into the can (be careful of sharp edges)

4. Put it into your recycling bin
   

Choose sustainable cat food

Cats are obligate, also known as “true”, carnivores. This means their diet requires nutrients that can only be found in meat. Eating meat is what cats need to live nutritious and healthy lives. It is NOT recommended that you put your cat on a vegetarian or a vegan diet, but it is possible to be mindful of the types of meat protein in their food.

Here are a few suggestions of how you can maintain your cat’s carnivorous diet in the most sustainable ways possible. Switch from beef, pork and salmon-based foods to poultry (chicken and turkey).
Why? The processes of raising cows, pigs and fish for food have significantly greater carbon outputs than those for chicken and turkey.
Explore insect-based dry cat food.
Why? Insect farming requires far less land and water than livestock, it has lower greenhouse gas emissions and it produces protein efficiently. Raising insects for food produces a fraction of the CO2 and methane produced by traditional meat farming. And did you know that feral (or stray) cats are already known to eat insects in small amounts as part of their natural diet? Mmmmm.
Quick Tip: Switching your cat to a 100% insect-based diet isn’t necessary. Choose a few days a week when you can substitute your cat’s regular meat food with insect-based food (just like “meat-free days” for humans). They’ll probably love the variation!

Choose cat food with animal by-products.
Why? In recent years, a big trend has emerged: we’re feeding our pets human- grade food because we believe it’s healthier and better for them. These pet food products use meat and other ingredients that are suitable for people. The problem is, this puts extra pressure on our global food system. Instead, we can choose cat food with animal by-products, which are parts of livestock that humans typically do not eat. This is beneficial because it gives our cats the essential nutrients they need, lessens waste and prevents food scraps from ending up in our landfills, where they emit carbon dioxide and methane that are harmful to the environment.

Reduce overfeeding

The stats are in! Numbers don’t lie, and believe it or not, just like humans, many cats have weight struggles. To be precise, 60% of domestic cats in North America are overweight or obese. This is one area where you can make a big impact on your cat’s health and the environment.

Why is it bad for my cat to be overweight?
Feline obesity can lead to potential health problems for your cat, not to mention added stress in your family and higher veterinary costs for you. When you overfeed your cat, you’re also unnecessarily draining the world’s food production systems further, and paying for food your cat doesn’t really need.
And let’s not forget…what goes in must come out, right? So, more food also means more poop! If your cat is eating too much food for their size and age, that translates into more feces and longer scooping sessions for you. Bag by bag, this contributes to the world’s growing waste problem, too.

Recommendations

There are simple steps you can take to make sure you’re feeding your cat the right amount of food to keep them healthy, while also being mindful of the environment and your wallet.

Start with these actionable tips:

Talk to your vet to determine how much you should be feeding your cat
Schedule meal times instead of leaving food out

Use a measuring cup or scoop to portion each meal (this is why you have a dry food scoop in your Sustainable Cat Starter Kit!)
Use automated feeders, slow feeders and puzzle feeders to lengthen your cat’s feeding time – make your feline work for their food, it’s good for them!

Choose sustainable litter

No big surprise here – cats have litter preferences! Our particular little felines often dictate the products we use, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get a say. Figure out your cat’s preferences and what works best for you. Most importantly, we recommend non-scented litter because cats have a very strong sense of smell and scented litter can irritate their nose.

There are three types of cat litter: Clay, Silica (Crystal) and Biodegradable.

Clay

Clay cat litter is most popular among cats (because it best mimics their natural environment) and can either be clumping or non-clumping. Both kinds come from strip mining (where an entire layer of soil and rock is removed from the earth so that the clay mineral can be accessed underneath). Unfortunately, this is harmful for the environment because it damages landscapes, and destroys ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

• Low cost
• Easy to remove urine and feces without having to empty the entire box
• Simply remove soiled litter clumps and replace with same amount of fresh litter
• Box stays cleaner for longer (litter can be emptied and fully replaced once a month)

|

• Low cost

cons|

• Produces dust
• Non-biodegradable, non-compostable
• Made from non-renewable resources

|

• Urine can pool at the bottom of the litter box
• Removing partially soiled litter is difficult without changing the entire box
• The whole litter batch must be fully replaced once a week
• Produces dust
• Non-biodegradable, non-compostable
• Made from non-renewable resources

Strip Mining for Clay litter

Sand Mining for Silica (Crystal) litter

Silica

Silica litter, also called crystal litter, comes from the process of mining a type of sand called silica (also known as quartz sand). Silica crystals have small pores that absorb urine and odours. Unfortunately, similar to clay cat litter, the process by which silica sand is obtained is harmful to the environment.

Pros|

• Light weight
• Almost dust free
• Last 3-4 weeks (depends on how many cats you have, and the volume of urine and feces)

---|---
cons|

• Non-biodegradable, non-compostable
• Made from non-renewable resources
• Urine can pool at the bottom of the litter box if not stirred properly
• Increased litter tracking around your house
• More expensive than clay litters

Biodegradable

Biodegradable cat litter is made from organic material including recycled paper, along with a variety of other plant-derived ingredients such as wood, pine, corn, nut shells, wheat, coconut husk, beet pulp and soybean.

Pros|

• Most eco-friendly of all cat litter types
• Compostable
• Low tracking around the home
• Almost dust free
• There are certain types that clump

---|---
cons|

• Not all cats like it
• More expensive than other types of litter

When it comes to choosing the best and most sustainable cat litter for your furry companion and your household, we invite you to try a few versions of the biodegradable type. This is not only the healthiest for your cat, but also the best type for the environment. Fingers crossed that it pleases everyone and works for you and your home!

Correctly dispose of cat litter

A big part of living sustainably is gaining a better understanding of how waste is processed where you live, and then sorting your garbage accordingly.
Here are some litter basics:
Do not flush cat litter down the toilet. Even litter sold as “flushable” can clog your home’s pipes and the city’s sewer line, and even contaminate the drinking water supply in your area.
Each city has different ways of disposing of cat feces and litter so it’s hard to give a one size fits all answer – be sure to check your city or town’s waste management guidelines.
Here’s how the 10 biggest Canadian cities do it:

Keep your cat indoors at all times

Cats are incredible hunters! According to Nature Canada, every year domestic cats kill 140 million birds and small animals. This leads to wildlife population declines and even extinctions.
If you decide to let your cat outside, consider these guidelines:

1. Keep your cat indoors for at least an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset (this is when birds are most vulnerable), and during sensitive times like bird breeding seasons.
2. Look into products that may help notify birds and other wildlife of your cat’s presence, such as a bell for your cat’s collar or a brightly-coloured collar that makes birds notice your cat and fly away before it’s too late.
3. If you have the space, budget and interest, consider creating a “catio” (a.k.a. cat patio). This outdoor space is enclosed for the safety of your cat and other wildlife, while also acting as a haven where your feline can enjoy the great outdoors. A win-win!

Did you know?
Spaying and neutering can decrease a cat’s desire to go outside. Some cats are far more inclined than others to make the grand escape, but we personally found that neutering our two male felines greatly reduced their longing for outdoorsy time.
Here’s an added bonus: according to the Humane Society, cats who are spayed or neutered live longer than cats who are not. Less battles at the front door AND more time with your furry feline friend in the long-term!

Parting Meows

The first step to living more sustainable lives is awareness. Before we can make changes that are both effective, and reasonable for us and our pets, we must first understand what is currently happening in the industry and why it’s a problem.
Remember, even just a single change is the beginning of a big difference –

for the health of our cats and the protection of our planet. Start small…and grow into your version of sustainability at a comfortable pace. Good luck! Thank you for reading through our guide and we hope you enjoyed it.
Until next time…
MEOW, friend.
“We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors;
We Borrow It from Our Children.”
– – Native American Proverb

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References

• The Sustainable Cat Starter Kit by Cyclic Journeys

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