When we think about green living, we are often only considering things like recycling or living more naturally for ourselves, but there are so many ways that living a more natural life can affect those lives around us, even if they are our pets.
I have a cat that is pretty much like a third child. He has been with us for over 10 years now, and I admit to being a tiny bit of a bad cat mom because I spoil him just a bit too much. My husband is just as guilty, though, even though he swears he doesnāt ‘likeā our cat. For us, spoiling comes in many forms. Itās long, lazy afternoons cuddling him and allowing him to lie on us (even if itās not a comfortable position for us), and treats of all kinds. It also comes in the form of living a more natural life and including him in it. Here are some ways you can incorporate green living with your cat:
Green Living and Your Cat
Watch certain essential oils around your cat - Many people who live a more natural lifestyle turn to essential oils for everything from aromatherapy to using for certain health issues. While some of these can actually be very nice for you as a human, consider that cats are very different and some essential oils like tea tree and peppermint could actually be very toxic to them, even for inhalation. Never use essential oils on your cat without talking to a vet first.
Reuse items to create toys for your feline friend - Rather than spending money on toys that are from the store that potentially contain things like plastic, why not make your own from stuff you might end up throwing away anyway? If you notice, cats play with some odd things, so they arenāt hard to please when it comes to toys. One of my favorite toys to make for my cat is made from old socks that lost their mate. I simply take a sock (preferably a kid sock or a small sock, not a tube style one) and fill it with organic catnip and then tie off the end. He will play with this sock toy for weeks and even go as far as to ‘guardā it by laying on it and taking it with him to sleep.
Pay attention to his litter - Feline Pineā¢ Clumping Cat Litter is natural litter made from kiln-dried pine shavings (a by-product of the wood industry, so no new trees are being cut down!) that clumps and controls odor very well without synthetics perfumes. I like how it also doesnāt have a lot of dust because it has mineral oil, as we have asthmatics here. Make sure you check out the coupon for $1.00 off from Feline Pineā¢ Clumping Cat Litter, too!
Buy greener alternatives for your catās needs - There are so many things out there for cats that are simply not environmentally friendly. From non-recycled plastic litter pans and toys to unethically sourced ingredients in food. So many of these items will be horrible for the planetās future. Instead, purchase products that are made from recycled/recyclable materials such as the ethically sourced bamboo litter box I have or a recycled rubber litter mat.
Consider using natural cleaners at home - When it comes to cleaning your home, you may not even consider how what you use impacts your cats. Cats have very sensitive upper respiratory and nasal passages and some chemicals used to clean a common household can be horrible for them leading to breathing issues like wheezing. Instead, use natural alternatives or even make some of your own. Arm & Hammerā¢ Baking Sodaā¢ and mild castile soaps are some of my very favorite things I keep in my cleaning arsenal.
What is one way you go green in regards to your cat? Answer this question for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card from Feline Pineā¢ Clumping Cat Litter! Make sure to follow Feline Pineā¢ Cat Litter on Facebook and on Instagram at @armandhammercat.
Entry Instructions:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: ā#SweepstakesEntryā; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 12/5/16ā 1/10/17
Be sure to visit the Feline Pine Brand Page on SheKnows.com where you can read other bloggersā posts!
You can buy organic and recycle.
tweet-https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/806504079837057024
We go green with our cats by using boxes and cardboard toilet paper rolls as cat toys.
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/807030326908350464
I go green by using organic and natural litter and treats for my cat.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/807705592055771136
I buy natural cat litter and organic cat food
tweet-https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/808044788993773568
I go green with my cat by buying cat toys made of recycled products.
tweet - https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/812081253952397312
I like to use baking soda as a freshener for the cat litter. It really helps with bad cat odors and also cleaning the litter everyday helps the odor not get too bad.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Michael64263870/status/812863609881694208
I try to buy litter that has natural ingredients and use baking soda to help with the odor but I have not seen this litter before - very interesting! Truckredford(at)Gmail(DOt)com
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/814141383116255232
I recycle the cans from my catās wet food daily.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/814558442140606468
I go green by using organic and natural cat litter.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/814656226793553922
Ooh, Iāve never tried this brand! With 6 cats, I think this could be a great option for our home. I love that itās organic and natural, too. Thanks so much for the chance, and for all of your hard work!
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/oopsimpregnant/status/814943333093179392
We recycle their food packaging.
Love this post! Great tips and ideas! Thank you.
While it looks great and very natural, but I am worried about tracking. I know you said low dust, but does the mineral oil help with tracking?
It really does have pretty low tracking. I only find a little near his box, but I think thatās more because he is kind of a messy cat when he buries š
We have switched to a wheat based cat letter with our cats to try to make our lives a little greener. I really hate clay litters so it is a pleasant change.
I buy green toys, litter, anything I can to help the environment
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/815201011908235264
I buy organic cat litter and this is a good way to go green with my cat!
tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/815209197339955200
I try to go green by buying natural and organic cat food.
I tweeted https://twitter.com/um_lil_cutie/status/815258901360902149
We go green with our cats by using household items to make some of their cat toys.
my tweet - https://twitter.com/myway070/status/815291244955897856
I use all natural cat litter and baking soda in our litter box.
https://mobile.twitter.com/arress83/status/815366878440910848
We donāt currently have a cat, but when we did we used Feline Pine…it is THE BEST and I always tell my friends with cats about it, and ask why they arenāt using it!
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/816093191887724544
Honestly I never thought about the green changes I could make! Thanks.
tweeted - https://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/816561820173406208
I try to go as natural as possible when it comes to my cats food, but hadnāt thought beyond that about going green with their other essentials. And as someone with asthma and allergies (to cats, no less!) I will definitely be giving Feline Pine a try!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/tinawoo21/status/817619004315430913
I go green by using as many organic and all natural products as possible for all of my pets.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/817968061781311489
I use old newspaper to line his box and use all natural cat liter!
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/my4boysand1/status/817968617174220801
I buy natural cat litter
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/818583248452259840
i posted a tweet here:
https://twitter.com/purplepanda1966/status/818655355295203328
i donāt have a cat but my aunt does - she recycles the cans her catās food comes in