We’ve recently discussed scooping litter and it’s one of the least favorable aspects of cat parenting. Besides hiring out someone to do it, you’re stuck with the chore. Make the chore happen less by buying herbal cat litter. The special odor absorbing litter is made from corn cob particles that clump when used. It is lightweight and lasts 3x as long as regular clay clumping litter. Just imagine scooping 3 times less often! Sweet!

The herbal cat litter can be purchased at Cat Claws for $31.90 per 15 pound bag. Discounts given to multiple bag orders.

If your faithful friend is getting old and incontinent, these re-usable dog diapers could make all the difference. You don’t want to spend your time getting irritated with him for those dribbles and messes he can’t help. This way they are contained and you can just wash the diaper and re-use it.

It’s not just old dogs that can use these. Pet owners also use them for dogs on heat, not just to keep the mess under wraps but also  to keep their females safe from unwanted male attentions!

These dog diapers come in a variety of sizes to fit most dogs. They are machine washable and dryable so a 2-pack should be enough unless you have a severely incontinent pet. They are not very cheap but would work out considerably cheaper than disposable diapers over a long period and are much better for the environment, so make a greener choice overall.

Dog Diapers cost between $21.99 and 47.99 depending on size from Only Natural Pet Store.

City cats with green living owners will love this natural wheat-based cat litter. It looks like conventional litter and clumps in a similar way, but is totally flushable and biodegradable. Natural wheat enzymes work to control odors and it is designed for homes with multiple cats, so can cope with heavy use.

As wheat is a renewable resource, and this is made from non-food grade wheat without any added chemicals, this is a great green choice for cat owners. It also tracks far less dust than conventional clay litters. The only downside mentioned by one review was that bugs were attracted to the litter but this can be avoided by storing the unused litter in sealed containers, as you would any other wheat product.

Swheat Scoop costs $14.99 for 14lb from Only Natural Pet Store

Living in the city means you have to pick up after your dog, but most bags designed for the job are just creating more plastic for the landfill.

These biodegradable bags are the green alternative. They look like plastic and are strong enough and thick enough  to do the job with no mess, but will break down in the compost  quite quickly.

Of course you don’t want to add dog poop to a compost heap that will be used on your veggie garden, but  you could create a separate compost heap for using on ornamental plants if you are planning to compost these yourself.

Otherwise you can just drop them in the trash, knowing that at least the poop bag won’t be creating a plastic island in the middle of any oceans any time in the future.

Pack of 100 bags costs $9.95 from at SitStay.com

The smell of wet dogs isn’t most people’s favorite perfume, but chemical air fresheners are often even worse. If you are looking for a natural way of getting rid of pet odors in the home, these Fresh Wave gel crystals do seem to work. They neutralize odors rather than covering them up with another strong scent.

All you do is open up the jar and leave it open in the room and it will gradually get rid of bad smells. The jar lasts for a few weeks of constant use before it needs replacing.

Eco conscious pet owners will like the fact that the gel is biodegradable and the packaging materials are recycled. Plus the gel is completely non-toxic. The only downside is that this product isn’t cheap, but probably cheaper than washing your pooches in sweet smelling shampoo every day!

Costs $18.95 from Amazon.com

If you’ve dreamed of getting rid of the litter box, this cat training toilet seat could be the answer. Apparently some cats take to it easily, though other owners had no luck with it. The idea is that you train your cat to use the seat at floor level with a litter box underneath and then graduate to your pet using the seat on the actual toilet, saving the use of litter ever after. For dedicated owners this could be a great way of helping the environment and doing away with all that used litter filling up landfill sites, but it does take quite a bit of effort to make it work and depends entirely on your cat whether it will oblige! Worth a try, though it is quite expensive if it doesn’t work.

Currently costs $72.59 at Amazon.com

Feline Evolution Cat Toilet Seat

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at a toilet seat for cats. Wow. Just…wow.  I can’t decide if this is sheer genius or simply lunacy. However,  at least some of the reviewers on Amazon were able to use this seat to toilet train their cats. If you can make it work, more power to you. Clay litter is often produced by strip-mining and takes gasoline to ship, so you’ll be doing the planet a favor.

$88 at Amazon

An important part of being a responsible dog owner is picking up your dog’s poo when you are out and about.  However, encasing a biodegradable substance like dog poo in plastic and sending it to a landfill is not exactly “green.” These bags are both flushable and biodegradable, so you can dispose of the mess as you see fit without sending it away in the trash. Available on Amazon.com
for $14.95 for 50.

It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it… so why not clean out that litter with a recycled scoop? Multicolored, non-toxic, lead-free and made from recycled melamine, it’s even dishwasher safe.

Scoops cost $7.99 fom the Only Natural Pet Store.

Taking care of “business” usually means a plastic bag. But these bags are made entirely from corn, so they take only 45 days to completely biodegrade. They’re also compostable. They do warn that these may tear easy, so you might not want your dog to carry them for you!

A pack of bags costs $5.99 from Muttropolis.