Are you an Eco-owner?

It's not too difficult to be an environmentally friendly cat owner. We've found five tips that will help you and your cat to be eco-warriors together!

1) GO ORGANIC

Organic cat food is free from artificial colourings and flavourings. The meat it contains will have been produced in an environment where no fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides have been used.

Why not try:
OrganiPets (www.organipets.co.uk),
Pero Organic (www.pero-petfood.
co.uk) or Netherlands-based Yarrah
Organic Petfood (www.yarrah.com)

They all produce organic cat food. Almo Nature’s Bio Pâté (www.almonature.co.uk) is also 100 per cent organic.

Look for food produced in this country so you can help reduce the food miles.

2) RECYCLE PACKAGING

Tins, dry cat food packets and some tray food packaging may be placed in your council’s recycling bin.

3) BIODEGRADABLE LITTER
There is a good choice of environmentally friendly cat litters. Look out for products
made from recycled materials (newspaper for example) or from bi-products. You’ll find them in pet shops, selected supermarkets and in online stores.

The following are all biodegradable: Almo Nature Clean&Green (www.almonature.co.uk) is a plant-based litter which can be used as compost in the garden or disposed of with organic waste

Cat’s Best ÖkoPlus is a clumping wood-based organic eco-litter.
Cat’s Best Nature Gold is a clumping litter made of plant fibres.
Friendship Estates Ltd’s Friendly Natural cat litter (www.friendshipestates.co.uk) is made from British straw.

Smart Cat Paper Litter (www.smart-cat.co.uk) and Bio-Catolet (www.midas-products.co.uk)
granules are made from recycled newspaper.


4 TRAY MATTERS

Van Ness litter tray liners are made of 80 per cent recycled plastic. They’re available from www.pets2home.co.uk and other online retailers.

The Catit Cat Pan Liner is biodegradable (from www.petplanet.co.uk, and other online retailers), or you could line your tray with a BioBag (or put the used litter in one before disposal). BioBags are biodegradable and compostable. For details go to www.biobags.co.uk Alternatively, you could just line the tray with newspaper!

5) PLAYTIME!
Many toys and accessories are made of plastic, which does not degrade easily. Try making some of your own beds and toys. Toilet/kitchen rolls and cardboard boxes can both be given a new lease of life when you turn them into a feline plaything. You could make your cat a rug or blanket from recycled polyester or organic cotton.

Keep an eye on www.yourcat.co.uk for a video from myself featuring a range of ideas for making fun and innovative toys for your cat.