If you’ve made some sustainable steps to reduce your environmental impact, you might feel it’s time to extend this positive impact to the rest of the family! They may be small, but our cats do leave an environmental pawprint. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you’re being an eco-friendly cat parent.

10 Tips For Sustainable Cat Care:

1. Choose Eco-Friendly Cat Food & Treats

The issue with cat food is that it can sometimes be tricky to find where the ingredients are sourced. This can make it almost impossible to understand whether the food is sustainable.

Making your own raw cat treats is a great option to ensure ingredients are sustainably sourced. You could try this tuna and sweet potato recipe.

If you’re short on time, another option is to purchase natural cat treats in recyclable tins. If your cat doesn’t eat a whole can of wet food in one sitting, the online sustainable shop EarthHero sells silicone wet food can covers to help reduce plastic waste.

Shop EarthHero Pet Supplies

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need meat in their diet to survive. So, for dry cat food, the best option is to search for biscuits or kibble made with meat from sustainable farms, including certified organic options.

2. Opt For Sustainable Pet Food & Water Bowls

Unless you have a plastic pet food bowl already sitting around at home, some more eco-friendly options for cat food bowls include those made from ceramic, aluminum, or bamboo.

3. Litter Boxes & Biodegradable Cat Litter

When searching for a litter box, you could try to find one in good condition second-hand or opt for a recycled plastic option, and remember to use a reusable scoop.

There are a few eco-friendly cat litter options available, including litter made from post-consumer recycled paper, natural clay, tofu, or corn. All of these options are biodegradable. If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly option, remember to choose litter that comes in a recyclable paper bag and avoid plastic kitty litter liners.

4. Biodegradable Pet Waste Bags

Most pet waste bags are made from single-use plastic, which doesn’t biodegrade. Instead, try biodegradable and compostable bags such as those available at online sustainable shop, EarthHero.

If you’d like to go a step further, you can also explore using a pet waste composting system, such as the EnsoPet Composting Unit.

5. Choose Sustainable Pet Beds

If you’re looking for a snuggly, eco-friendly cat bed, try organic and cruelty-free Kitty Caves, made from felt wool. If your cat loves to hide under blankets and pillows, they’ll love their own cat cave!

The sustainable and organic mattress brand Avocado also creates sustainable pet beds made from leftover wood from the brand’s other products, organic cotton, organic natural latex foam, and coconut husk. Although these products are marketed for dogs, other pets may use and enjoy them. These beds are biodegradable and use the same conscious materials as the company’s human mattresses, covers, and bedding. To help with cleaning, the bed cover is also removable and washable.

The sustainable homewares company Delilah Home also has a small range of pet beds available. Made in collaboration with the European brand PAIKKA, these beds are made from organic cotton with a filling made from PET recycled bottles.

6. Natural Cat Toys

Look for fair trade and ethically made cat toys that are made from natural materials, such as wool felt, cotton, or hemp.

7. Cat Collars

Before you buy a new cat collar made from plastic, try an organic cotton or hemp collar instead. These cat collars by The Good Dog Company are hypoallergenic, handcrafted in the USA, and are made from a hemp and organic cotton blend.

8. Sustainable Cat Brushes

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly pet brush, search for those made from coconut fibers or natural animal bristles and sustainable wood or bamboo, such as this handcrafted brush by Redecker.

9. Zero-Waste Pet Shampoo & Conditioner

While cats wash themselves, if your cat ever gets very dirty and needs a bath, search for a company that creates natural pet washes. You can also find natural shampoo and conditioner bars for pets, such as this shampoo bar by Suds & Co.

10. Keep Your Cat Indoors

Keeping your cat indoors is one of the best things you can do to protect your local wildlife. Cats are known to damage ecosystems and severely impact biodiversity. If you do let your cat outdoors in your yard, make sure you watch them so they don’t prey on the native wildlife.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. What changes have you made to be a more eco-friendly cat parent?