How to Make Cat Litter at Home

Last Updated: November 25, 2021 References

A responsible cat parent should always have everything their pet requires, but if you find yourself out of cat litter and unable to purchase any or obtain any, you can try to make some.

Steps

1
Shred some newspapers, preferably using a paper shredder, and collect shredded paper in a large bucket or similar container.^{[1]
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2
Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a few squirt of gentle, biodegradable dish soap. The shredded paper will take on a cooked oatmeal consistency. The paper won’t become completely clean, but the water will turn grey.^{[2]
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3
Drain the water and repeat the soaking, this time without using soap.
4
Sprinkle baking soda on the wet paper. Knead it in to the mixture.^{[3]
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- You might want to wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands.
5
Squeeze the remaining water out until it’s as dry as you can get it.
6
Crumble over a screen and leave to dry. It will take a few days.^{[4]
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7
Finished. You have perfect litter for your cat!

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use any paper, such as bond paper?

Community Answer

You may use only non-waterproof paper. Bond paper might be too extreme; try using newspaper instead.
Question

What do I use if I don't have a box to put it in?

Myonlinevet

Community Answer

You may use any container big enough to put your pet in it. If the container is closed, you can carve it into any shape you want.
Question

How much baking soda should I add?

Community Answer

Just a teaspoon.
Question

What kind of papers can I use?

Community Answer

Newspapers are a good thing to use. This also puts your daily newspaper to good use once you're done with it.
Question

I have a lot of cats, and the cat litter I use does not hold moisture well. How can I change this?

Amy Harrison

Top Answerer

Add baking soda to the litter mix, as baking soda helps hold in moisture and odor. Make sure to change the litter bed at least on a daily basis.
Question

How long do I soak the paper?

Lisa Hakala

Community Answer

Soak the paper until it turns gray with an oatmeal texture, as shown above.
Question

Do I do this every day? And do I change the litter box just once at the end of the day?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

The homemade cat litter takes a few days to dry. Unless you have a number of screens to dry the litter, you can't do this every day. A litter box should be change when the litter is no longer absorbent. This may be a matter of hours if you have several cats and use homemade litter. Poop should be scooped from the tray and flushed away as soon as possible, as cats don't like using dirty litter boxes.
Question

Why should I soak the newspapers?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

You need to soak the newspaper to get it to break down into a more granular consistency.