Americans love cats. In fact, these regal creatures have invaded millions of homes across the country and currently number about 60 million. You've probably heard that people don't choose cats - it's the other way around and with that in mind, we should be honored. It's just that with that honor and that unique companionship also come certain responsibilities -- like cleaning the nasty bits, for example.



The solution? Flushable cat litter - a newer, friendlier alternative to the older, messier litter boxes.

How they work

Forget what you saw in that Ben Stiller-Robert de Niro movie. Cats may be trained to use toilets designed for humans, but very few have gotten around to perfect that flushing mechanism. Besides, training is a two-way process and not all cat owners can train their kitties to do as they wish. Automatic flushable cat litters may hold the answer, without driving a wedge between your cat and yourself.

Automatic flushable cat litters are self-cleaning litter boxes that keep the cat box clean through the use of a raking system that gets rid of the solid waste by pushing it into a waste receptacle. A cat owner can then remove this plastic part and dispose of the waste easily. Some models even have an exit ramp that cleans the cat's paws to prevent them from leaving track marks.

For the well-cared for cat, there's LitterFree (TM). Dubbed as the ?ultimate? cat litter box, LitterFree is a new design from Pet Food Express and takes cat litter boxes to a whole new level. The product is connected to the water and drainage system and cleans automatically using water to wash the wastes and flush them down the pipes.

It also features a blower that dries the granules to prepare them for the next use. When the manufacturers labeled it ?flushable?, they meant it. So if you want an innovative, worry-free cat litter box and are willing to spend more, this is for you.

Instead of ordinary litter granules, those that are used in flushable cat litters are dust-free and washable. The problem of unpleasant odor is also corrected by the flushable cat litter's automatic system of treating the granules with a cleaning solution that both disinfects and deodorizes, ensuring that your kitty's little toilet is kept clean and fresh.

No simple task

Flushable cat litters are the result of years of design, engineering and testing, as evidenced by the company that produces LitterFree ?. The brand's distributing company sees the flushable cat litter box to become a regular household appliance much like washing machines and dryers. They are so serious with this vision that their product comes with a one-year warranty that covers both labor and parts.

Flushable granules

Not all flushable cat litters are automatic, however. Some brands are labeled flushable because of the materials used as granules to line the litter box. Elegant Cat ?, for example, uses water soluble granules that form a clump and once thrown into the toilet, will break into pieces. These pieces can then be flushed away conveniently. No more late night or early morning trips to the dumpster to get rid of bags containing used cat litter.

Another brand, Feline Pine ? uses biodegradable materials that provide odor control. The pine pellets will absorb the cat's urine and turn to sawdust so the only task you will have to perform is to get rid of cat poop. Another benefit of having urine turn to sawdust is that the material can be turned to compost and used in the garden.

Some brands use materials such as natural chlorophyll or corn to control odor. The natural material is also safe and biodegradable, which is good news to eco-friendly pet owners. Unlike clay, these granules will not cling to the cat's hair and he's less likely to spread dust in the premises.

Who should buy it?

Everyone but the cat, of course. If you have a pet and lead a busy, active life, it can be quite a challenge to keep up with the sanitation. Flushable cat litters might just be the answer to your problems. It is also advantageous to people with physical limitations like the blind and the elderly, and may prove to be a boon to pregnant women or those with problems with their immune systems.

Expect flushable cat litters to be priced higher than the more conventional types. However, paying a few dollars more for the convenience of easy cleaning and an odor-free environment is a small price to pay. The automatic flushable cat litter also costs in the vicinity of $300 but the steep price more than makes up for its function. Besides, most of these models come with a full warranty.

It may also interest you that in preference tests, the more expensive self-cleaning cat litter boxes scored well with the cats. They're not really pushing to buy the more expensive box, but that's probably a hint right there.